This book is Christmas, laughing out loud, a wedding, intrigue & mystery, romance, witty banter and a farting dog under a Christmas tree! Ok, so maybe the dog doesn't actually fart under the Christmas tree, but I was on a roll! Seriously though, this book is the fun you didn't know you were missing out on! The characters are well written with uniquely cast personalities that only enhance the plot! Yes, this is a rom com, but it is layered and with depth that will add enjoyment for other types of readers as well. There is an alphabet soup of agents running an undercover Opp including a few of the main characters while also attempting to enjoy a family Christmas and stop a family member from getting married on Christmas to a crime lord. Sometimes the comedy is straight up on the nose and sometimes the zinger comes in and has you laughing out loud in public without a moment to contain yourself, so you don't bother the other people hanging out in the local coffeeshop...or maybe that was just me! If you are looking for a fun read, this is it. Looking for a Christmas rom com, this is it. Looking for a bit of spy/undercover agent mystery, this is it. Looking for a bit of sweet romance, this is it. Looking for action, this has it too. This book sounds like they threw everything including the kitchen sink into the story and in a way the author did, but they did it so very well and with witty banter to boot so it is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I'm recommending it to all my book swapping friends as they will all enjoy it as well!

I was so excited to read this book from the moment I read the synopsis; it’s such a cool, fun and uncommon romance story. And I’m so thankful to have received an ARC because this book was so joyful.
Sydney is a secret agent for Cia with a mission to take down a crime lord, but she falls in love with the target’s bodyguard! Oh my… Just writing this phrase makes me excited again for this book. Sydney is so focused on her career that we can see she is ignoring any attraction for Nick to focus on the mission. I was swooning over Nick from the first time he showed up in the book and trying to nudge Sydney to open up and give him a proper chance (as I could do this through the pages!). There is great chemistry between them and great action, too. I love how badass Sydney is; it always makes me feel so lively and excited to read about women who know martial arts and have excellent skills in an action scene.
Also, I would like to highlight that this is a Christmas book!! Christmas + romance + secret agents = perfection!
There is a bit of everything in this book: action, romance, and fun; it’s like watching a 2023 book version of Miss Congeniality set in a Christmassy small town.
Thanks to NetGalley UK and Orion for sending me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Charming and funny! I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨️Holiday romance
✨️Mistery

💞If you're looking for a story with the perfect mix of fun, mystery, and romance, this is the book for you.💞

The characters are very well-developed, and I loved Grandma Ruby. I have to say I loved the main characters; the chemistry between them is undeniable.

The story captivates you, and you find yourself following every twist and turn. I was busy crafting theories until the plot was revealed, and I must say, this plot was very well written.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it.

I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for sending me this ARC

Actually don’t think I’ve read a spy-esque romance before, but I may be obsessed now

This was literally addictive!! The tension had me screaming at my kindle for about an hour straight!

I loved the whole storyline concept, with Sydney coming home because it’s Christmas and oh let’s spend time with the family I never see but really my little sister is engaged to a crime family heir?! Yes okay let’s go. Oh and there’s a super hot bodyguard that you may just have to seduce or something to get info, it’s totally chill.

I think what I loved the most were all the twists, I had so many little ‘oh damns’, I was hooked! I really wasn’t sure how it was all going to end and loved how it did. The only thing for me was the romance - I loved it throughout the book but I’m just not a fan of when they fall in love after like a week cause why??? But that’s on me and is just personal preference lol. Though Sydney’s constant denial of how she only wanted to take Nick down and definitely wasn’t flirting was pretty funny!

Just a really fun twisty romance that’s set at Christmas but not super Christmassy if that’s not your vibe. There’s the sassy grandma that we all need and a loveable dog that would even have me running into traffic for him - the best combo

DNF @ 40%

Firstly, I really wanted to like this book. The concept is a really fun one and I was excited by the description. There was nothing really wrong with it, it just didn't hold my interest. I never warmed to either main character and unfortunately I found myself beginning to skim read parts of it. I just didn't feel invested in the story at all. That said, the writing style is quite light and flows well. This just wasn't the book for me I'm afraid.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

I LOVED this one! I loved the characters, the plot and of course, the romance. The Christmas setting for the book was just the cherry on the top too. Both Nick and Sydney were obviously great and well-fleshed out characters and their chemistry… palpable off the page. Can I just ask please can I have my own ‘tricky Nicky’? ☺️
My favourite has got to be Grandma Ruby. She was such a boss and such a cute side character.
The plot, yes, it was predictable at times, as are all romances, but I genuinely was caught surprised with some of the twists. The spy setting worked so well and I really enjoyed the mission at hand. I don’t want to give too much about the plot, so my lips are sealed, but this book is definitely worth the read! It’s the perfect cozy romance to read at Christmas. This book has done wonders in bringing my James Bond obsession back haha
Thank you Netgalley for letting me have such a fun time reading a good book in exchange for a review.

This was super duper cute and I actually adored it?! Nick and Sydney had such good chemistry (and he was hooooot, give me a bodyguard/spy romance any day), and I really enjoyed Sydney's whole coming to terms with who she is and how she's been bottling things up journey (even if it hit a little close to home, I'm going to need my fave books to stop calling me out like this). Plus the whole spy concept really leant itself well to a bunch of forced proximity type situations, and I love me some of those.

It did feel like it lent itself a little more to women's fiction with a major romance plotline rather than solely a romance book, as the spy/non-romance aspect was a pretty big focus of the book. Normally that's not something I'd enjoy as much, but I was actually super invested in the plot and it kept me guessing - I thought there were a few ways it could go and wasn't entirely sure how it would turn out until right at the end!

I hope Calla gets a book because she's so sweet and just wanting to be loved and deserves soooooo much better, and honestly a kindergarten teacher x spy romance would slap, if they want to continue down the spy route for a series (bonus points if it's like with a single dad in her class who's just gotten custody of a kid he didn't know existed or his neice/nephew or something - let's just throw all my fave tropes in there pls xx).

Definitely recommend this one and looking forward to more from Carlie Walker!!

What an absolutely fabulous book. A breath of fresh air. I was convinced I knew what was going on and yet every chapter it changed. Sydney goes home as her sister is getting married. But not everything I’d as it seems. Johnny is a bad one and had a minded called Nick who is also not what he seems. Is anybody really who they are? Sydney’s grandmother maybe! I don’t want to give too much away but it gripped me and it could almost become a series Nick and Dyfbey solve crimes. Loved it.

This was my first read from Carlie Walker and follows Sydney, a CIA agent returning home for Christmas on an undercover mission to investigate her sister’s fiancé, and secret crime lord, Johnny.

Sydney is tasked with flirting with Nick, Johnny’s bodyguard, as part of her mission to try and gain inside info, but as you would expect all is not as it seems. This is a quick, easy read that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still has some underlying messages about love, trust, and loss.

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️ the half star is for Grandma Ruby

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had so much fun reading this book! I was intrigued by the premise and immediately requested it and I’m so so glad I did! I was hooked from the start, trying to understand how things would work out and constantly trying to guess the different outcomes.

I’m gonna have to be careful with this review because I don’t want to accidentally spoil anything but I LOVED Nick and Sydney, both as individual characters and as a couple. Seeing them get to know each other better and fall in love, even when it was the last thing they expected (and, in a way, needed) was adorable and I was rooting for them from the start.

They both deserved to find a true partner, and Sydney especially needed to find someone she could open up to, someone she could trust wouldn’t leave and who would love her for who she is. Nick was that such a great fit for her; he was charming and honest, he actively sought to know more about her and give her more of himself in return, and he truly understood her! Basically I’m obsessed with them and desperately need more pages because I want to follow them along on their new life together and see them be cute and domestic🥰

I’ve been looking for a 5-star read for a while and this was it! This book was everything🤩 it was funny, adorable and it kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what was gonna happen next, all while following two amazing characters as they fell in love.

If you’re looking for an amazing romance novel to read/buy soon, make sure to add THE TAKEDOWN to your list! You’d be crazy to miss it!

★ 5/5 Stars ★

A huge thank you to Orion and NetGalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review💙

I have been given an Advanced Reader's Copy in return for an honest review:

Actual rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice level: 🌶

When I read the synopsis, I was excited. A spy novel mixed with a romcom? Sign me up! However, there wasn't much romancing, or much spying if we're really honest. This was much more a book about a family relationship with a quick romance thrown in.
Not for me, but I'm sure it will find its audience as the writing style was nice.

Another look by an editor would be advisable as my copy was weirdly formatted, sometimes a sentence cut of and started off on another line, chapters started funny with 1 letter on top and then continued, some words were bunched together.

This is a brilliant book! It's a well written story that keeps you interested until the very last page.

Loved the romantic angle running alongside the spy storyline, and also a Christmas wedding to a criminal, what's not to love, don't take this book too seriously, it's a rom com with a "take Down" thrown in. lighthearted and fun to read.

I love a high-concept caper in a romance, and this one was brilliant - it's sure to delight anyone who loves Miss Congeniality, or Katherine Center's The Bodyguard. I loved the twists and turns, and the family relationships at the core of it. I will definitely be recommending and handselling this title in store!

While this is a romance novel and most of my recent reads have been heavily romance based, non of the books I have been reading were a mystery thriller. Reading this book was a great way to get myself in to a new genre without it being overwhelming.

The story rules around a CIA agent who is set to spy on her sisters new fiancé during the Christmas holidays. There is a lot of suspense and hidden secrets from the past which are portrayed throughout the novel, the author keeps you on your toes for sure. The character development while reading is good, I loved seeing Sydney open up about her past.

Overall the story was good, I would definitely recommend the book to all my friends - although there were a few issues which prevent me from giving the book 5 stars. The book is written well which makes it easy to read, however there were times throughout the book where I wasn't sure which character was speaking, this became rather annoying and confusing.

5 stars! No question! An amazing and actually true romcom, where that category isn’t just used as a marketing tool! If you miss the energy of early aughts romcom movies, then this is the book for you!

Hilariously funny and ridiculous, to the point of making me snort while laughing. But also sincere and heartfelt, with very well-written characters. The tone of this is perfectly pitched.

Amazing family dynamics, silly antics and such a fun plot. Plus, a great, swoony romance that actually made me kick my feet at one point because I was so in love with this book!

This novel had it all! And did it all brilliantly while perfectly balancing the different elements! Definitely a favourite of the year!

If you wondered what happens when you mix a spy thriller with a rom com, this is it!!!

Attending a wedding should be a joyous occasion. But when you're on a mission that involves a member of the wedding party it becomes a whole different affair!!

Moves at a rapid pace, the first person POV is brilliant especially as it keeps the reader guessing the whole time.

Fun, exciting and sexy!

Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the ARC, here I leave my honest review!

Actual rating 3.5 ⭐ 1.5 🌶

I was so exciting when I read the blurb of this book for the first time. The author give me a spy book but with romance? I'm totally in!

I already have my own expectation because of the blurb. Thinking that I would see a great amount of action, spy, secret and everything. But I'm not really seeing that in this book. Maybe because the target is Sydney's family, I see more of family bonding and the flirting between Sydney and Nick. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but I think I lost it because of my own expectation. I know Sydney is a strong one but I see a lot of the other side of Sydney than the spy one. I confuse whether I like it or not because of my expectation.

But despite that, I think the author deliver us a good story. I love how there are so many twist in this book and I can't predict it at all. Rather than focus on the crime lord family that Sydney need to spy, I think we got more about how Sydney rekindle her relationship with her family and how to open her heart again. I love to read about that part and I love her Grandma so much!

The relationship between Sydney and Nick is a insta one, not really my favorite but their banter is so cute at the beginning. I think their relationship just an okay for me. Everything that happen in this book is so fast just maybe a week or days, kind of impossible for me to accept that because I feel like it's been happening not only in days counting.

I really rhought I would enjoy this book as the synopsis made it sound engaging. However I couldn't enjoy it as my mind was drifting. This book just wasn't for me.

It took me a while to get into this, it was too focused on the crime and investigation side at the start for me. Once we started to get more into the characters and their relationships, then it got going as far as I was concerned and it turned into quite a good, if very unbelievable romance. Not bad in the end.