Max is recruited as a body double for a European Prime Minister after realising that they look eerily alike - and her handler happens to be her ex.

This is a light romance with an edge of intrigue. There were several holes but I think I got a bit too caught up in the logistics ... If you can do better than me and suspend your disbelief somewhat, you'll enjoy it far more! I did love the second chance romance of the book though and thoroughly enjoyed seeing it progress!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This book is a spicy, witty thrill ride, balancing moments of heart-stopping suspense with the perfect amount of romantic tension. It’s got that irresistible enemies-to-lovers dynamic, plus a second-chance romance that’ll have you turning pages. Definitely one of those reads you devour in one sitting!

- 𝑪𝒐𝒅𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒓, 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
✰ 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴

Carlie Walker is officially an autobuy and new favorite author for me.
Without giving too much away about this books since the release is pretty far away, i will say i adored it. I read it so quickly and it took me out of a reading slump because it was that fun and engaging.
The book follows former teen sweethearts as they meet again on a secret undercover mission for the CIA.
The plot was so entertaining and kept me on my sit the entire time. The romance was wonderful and swoony as well and I really loved seeing Max and Flynn fall back in love with each other.

I highly recommend this book if you want something hot, fun but also fast paced and with a touch of action in it.

If you were fans of Miss Congeniality, i think you will appreciate it.

Thank you @carliewalkerauthor and the publisher @orionfiction for the opportunity to read and review this book 🎀✨️

A second chance, enemies to lovers, bodyguard romance and a fun and easy read. Gives vibes of First Daughter. The spice isn’t overly heavy and just right for the story. Would recommend!

I really enjoyed this action packed romance. I’d describe this book as Lizzie Macguire movie meets FBI in this Italian romp. The characters are all really likeable, and although the mystery side is revealed quite easily, the action and humour helped keep the story moving. I really enjoyed reading it and would definitely buy for myself or as a gift for my galpals

I was so grateful to be part of the title and cover release of Carlie’s latest novel that I had gotten myself overly excited to begin reading it. And it did not disappoint.

Max is a normal 29-year-old living a solitary life after her life-long dream of opening a restaurant came to an abrupt end post pandemic. In severe debt, working a basic job and isolating herself from her loved ones out of guilt, she doesn’t have a lot going for her.

That is until, she is approached by the CIA over her uncanny similarities to a European countries female Prime Minister. The twist? The PM is being hunted by assassins and is in desperate need of a body double.

$5 million in exchange for a quiet Italian holiday sounds like the perfect solution to Max’s troubles. That is, until she meets her official CIA handler... An ex. Not just any ex, THE ex.

“Having a bodyguard is one thing. It’s another thing because it’s him.”

The storyline, the plot twists and the tension throughout this book were done so brilliantly that I had no idea which direction Walker was going to lead the main character’s, Max and Flynn. Don’t even get me started on the writer’s ability to make me question every single character as a potential assassin (would have killed me if a certain roommate or hotel owner was in on it)!

The action scenes have you perfectly imagining the chaos in tiny Italian towns, and the humour was so well timed throughout. It had me holding my breath one chapter, to laughing out loud the next.

Max is nothing less than a girl boss. Apprehensive at first, but then willing to put her life on the line for the sake of another country. Potentially one of my favourite female MC’s.

Flynn and Max’s past means that they must have ground rules to maintain a professional relationship as world-leader (kinda) and bodyguard. But as all romance novels go, it is a lot easier said than done. An almost childhood sweethearts, ‘right person, wrong time’ plotline.

This would be a 5-star read, but I do feel like the ending was slightly rushed. The questions I was building up throughout the book were answered in an anti-climactic way very abruptly.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed Code Word Romance, it was different from the basic tropes of the romance genre, including lots of action and cliff hangers. Definitely recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Orion for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I really love this book. I thought it was so fun and easy to read. I really love Max and Flynn and loved the plot. It’s one of those books where it catches your attention and if you love the Lizzie Maguire movie or First Daughter you’d love this! Bodyguards, suspense and second chance romance! So fun!

Many thanks for letting me have an advanced copy of Code Word Romance......

This book kept in me in suspense from the get go, and this was how is stayed throughout, with of course the romance element fully intertwined. There was so much tension and angst, it made me want to read this book from cover to cover within the shortest time possible.

Max is working in catering in a dead end job, deep in debt and feels guilty for letting her family and friends down, after her restaurant business collapses. Then out of the blue she is approached by the CIA asking if she would like to pretend to be the Prime Minister of a small country, who has a serious threat against them. She is initially dubious of this request, until Max finds out how much she would be paid to carry out this important task, and so she accepts.

The mission takes Max across Italy, and in doing so learns she will be teaming up with the man who stole, and broke her heart 15 years prior - Flynn Forrester. Although there is history between, Max is determined to push away any resentment towards him, to ensure that the mission doesn't get jeopardised at any point.

As the mission begins, this starts a series of events including dealing with unwanted attention from various men, escaping from threats that endangers her and Flynn's lives, whilst at the same time trying to stick to the rules that they have both agreed to to ensure that this goes to plan. But over the coming days any resentment that Max initially felt begins to melt away and old feelings resurface between them both, and it proves difficult to stick to the rules. But could this jeopardise their involvement in the mission and what is happening between them.

Although a romance story, there are many twists, turns and when things start to get sinister this leaves Max in mortal danger. After being without any help from the CIA or Flynn, it means she has to make important decisions that could affect not just her life, but the lives of other people around her, including Flynn. Will it be enough for Max to save them both?

Loved the tension throughout, and through Carlie's writing of the main characters, particularly with regards to Flynn, you could sense that he never wants Max to get hurt in any shape or form, and I also loved it when Max realises something about Flynn and then her immediate actions to ensure that he doesn't get hurt because of her.

It was delightful, funny, beautiful to read and I didn't want it to end.

❤️Second Chance
❤️Enemies to Lovers
❤️Close Proximity
❤️Fake Identity
❤️Bodyguard / Protector
❤️Working with Ex
❤️Assassins

10/10 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I LOVED this! What an exciting, cinematic and romantic masterpiece. It read just like a movie and I was picturing it in my mind the whole time. It’s so visual and emotive! The Italian setting was stunning and made me dream of a stunning summer holiday - shame it’s winter here and very chilly and I have no holidays booked 😆.

The story is wild and refreshing with an original plot and warm and relatable characters. The slow burn is perfect and you really root for Max and Flynn from the very beginning. The spice is light but just right for the story, which is heavy on the adventure, tension and romance rather than steam.

If you read any book in 2025 then please let it be this! You won’t regret it. Dreamy!

Absolutely love everything about this book! Who doesn’t love a good rom-com in book form? I love the resemblance identity to someone famous and the whole Lizzie McGuire vibe to it as well as the romantic interest in as well! So well written, light, run, and enjoyed every page this is the perfect book if your looking to escape in to a fun romantic adventure!