A wonderful mix of suspense, thriller, espionage and second chance romance.

Max is a reluctant body double for a Prime Minister and only took the job to pay off some of her debts. Now she's literally dodging bullets. To make it worse, the one person who can possibly keep her from winding up dead is her ex!

Flynn and Max exude that slow burn, bickering banter that I just eat up! When you're just sitting waiting for that forced proximity, one bed goodness to raise up that tension and ignite some flames,
There are plenty of laughs to be had and I'd certainly snap up more books from this author.

I loved The Takedown! It was one of my favourite reads of last year and a very pleasant surprise so I’ve been looking forward to Carlie Walker’s new book and I had so much fun reading it!!

I had high expectations for this book - I love second chance romances and I’ve recently found that I really enjoy a bit of action and mystery in my romances so when I couldn’t have been more excited about this book and it did not disappoint!

Starting with the romance - I loved seeing Max and Flynn reconnect and get back together. Being in multiple near-death situation definitely helped them realise that they wanted to be together fairly quickly but it was so clear how much they cared about each other and how the feelings from their teenage years were still there.

On to the action side of the book; I was on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out what was going on, who was orchestrating all the murder attempts and how they would dodge them and find their way out of those situations.

This was a perfect mix of romance and thrills that made it hard to put this book down so if that sounds like something you’d like, make sure to check out this book (and, if you haven’t yet, definitely get your hands on The Takedown as well).

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Second chance romance. Max was in love with Flynn years ago, and now she meets him again it is in a situation she never expected - impersonating a prime minister and working for the CIA. Can he keep her safe? A fun and fast paced read.

A great action romance with a stunning Italian setting that had me wishing for a summer holiday (without danger, thank you!). I enjoyed Max and Flynn's second chance romance and really appreciated that we find out early on what happened between them and it wasn't drawn out over the book. It meant we get a good idea of where they're at when reunited and made this tension between them all the more interesting. Was the plot in any way believable? No, but it was loads of fun and though I wanted to see a bit more chemistry between the Max and Flynn, I was enjoying all the mystery and plot twists as well as seeing Max totally able to handle herself in these wild situations.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

thankyou netgalley for this ARC!!!!

i entered this book with super low expectations. a romance, mystery.... like no thanks, but holy shit, i got proved wrong.
this is a second chance romance. which i usually honestly hate, but i adored this.
the banter, the sexual tension, ahhh, just perfection.
i thought it was super random how her ex from 8 years ago just says "oh yeh my ex looks just like this prime minister, lets use her as bait."
like how do you still remember her.....?
i loved the plot it had me needing more, i could not put this down at all. this was also a slow burn so it took about 70% of the book for them to kiss, but when they did it was everything!!!!!
i would consider reading more from this author it was written so well.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Carlie Walker for sending me an ARC of this book!

Code Word Romance is a romantic action book from beginning to end! I found this a very funny, easy read and one I would definitely recommend to romance and crime readers alike!

This is my first ever read by this author and I will 100% be reading more of Carlie Walker’s work! 🩷

was a little thrown at the beginning.

The jump back in time to show the lead up to what was going on.

After I got past that, I started to enjoy the book.

I couldn’t help but feel like I’d seen a similar movie before, but I loved the dynamic between Flynn and Max.

This book is many things - a second-chance romance, a comedy, an action-packed rampage set against a beautiful Italian backdrop - and most of all it’s a lot of fun. Right from the prologue, which throws us into immediate excitement and peril before tracking back to the beginning, Max has a fresh, funny voice and is full of good intentions. Even when thrown into a rapidly spiralling situation where it’s impossible to know who to trust. I found it harder to get a read on Flynn, but it didn’t matter too much because the plot absolutely zooms along and dragged me in, and the whole thing is sprinkled with well-drawn and memorable supporting characters (especially Calvin). I’d definitely recommend this as a very entertaining read.

Hallmark movie, an adult Lizzie MCguire or just a brilliant witty fun romance.
This was perfect for anyone and everyone. I loved every part of this book and just felt like smiling everytime I new I'd be reading it and after.
It was spoony in all the right places. Fun. A bit far fetched but easily balanced with the level.of "real" you want from characters and plot.
This is definitely a feel good romance.

When someone described this as the Lizzy McGuire Movie but there are spies involved I was an immediate yes.

I loved the unique premise of the CIA rocking up at Max’s doorstep telling her that they would clear her debts if she would spend a few days being the body double of Europe’s youngest prime minister, Sofia Christensen due to the current assassination threats.

Only problem is Max is a chef not a spy, her only qualification is the she is Sofia’s doppelgänger and her bodyguard is the man that broke her heart - what could go wrong?

This was a hilarious read. It took me a moment to get into it but with each passing page I was hooked. You have everything you could want from a high action spy novel but with a whole heap of comedic moments, chemistry and what the heck is happening…

Spies
Second Chances
Bodyguards
Italian getaway
Hilarious best friend

3.75 stars

loved this
the romance
the characters
the vibe
the tension

if you are a fan of well done romance this is it

This book 📖 had potential, but I ended up feeling underwhelmed😕. I liked the story, but something about the execution didn’t fully land🏁 for me.

First of all, WHY did she describe Max’s beard/stubble🧔🏻 as whiskers🐈‍⬛?? He’s not some old, wise man delivering cryptic advice🧓🏻. But I thought that was so funny. Just say stubble

Then there’s Max and Flynn’s relationship. I wanted to feel something between them🌇, but I just… didn’t. I get that they’re on a job💼 and shouldn't be bringing up the past, but their dynamic feels this flat📥. I needed more depth🛳️, more emotion—something to make me actually believe in their connection.

"You’re just full of surprises, aren't you, Starfish?” - Flynn Forester

This was such a cute read!

I haven't read any of Carlie's previous books but after reading this one I need to binge them all.
I couldn't put this book down.
The writing, plot, romance, and characters were amazingly brought to life. This book had a crazy realistic feel to it, which I loved.

I loved the storyline in the book. Max is a duplicate of the youngest female prime minister in Europe and takes her place when there is a threat to the prime minister's life. I love a good spy book, and this was perfect for me.
It's the exact right blend of action and romance. Watching Flynn teach Max how to be her own version of a spy was so fun. I could imagine it inside my head, Flynn showing Max how to hold a gun, how to defend herself from an attack, how to punch someone.

I enjoyed the romance between Max and Flynn. They had a history together that hadn't ended well and then got thrown into this huge mess and could only trust each other. The way their romance went from burnt out to blooming was wonderful, I loved reading about them reconnecting and finding out that they are absolutely made for each other.
I loved every second of banter these two gave us. It felt like they never stopped, no matter what situation they were in. They were teasing each other and making jokes.

Max was such a fun character to follow! I've not read many characters like her which made it even more fun to read. She had such a headstrong fierceness to her that was written so well.
She was easy to get to know. She had one motive and that was it, nothing overcomplicated which I loved but she still had a depth to her.

It took Flynn a while to make me like him. I was fine at first but then we found out he'd lied about some important details that could put Max in danger, well more danger, and I was a little skeptical for a while, and by a while I mean most of the book. That's not to say I didn't like him at all, no I had moments where I was verbally cheering him on.
Carlie did an amazing job when bringing Flynn to life. She managed to make him both trustworthy and suspicious at the same time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish and gasping at every plot twist we got.
I would 100% dive right back in and reread it over and over.

Princess and the pauper meets Miss Congenitality, or maybe that movie Killers with Heigl and Kutcher?

It was funny and a blast to read. Just the right amount of mystery and suspense for a lighthearted action romcom.

I felt the tension between them, but still felt like a little was missing since we didn't really get to see them fall in love. I adored her approach to her situation, and how relatable she was, especially blaming herself for failure instead of the pandemic.

The "Starfish" gave me the ick, I just kept thinking of b*ttholes..surely it could've been shortened to "Star" or some other sea loving creature??

Second chance
The one that got away
Chef x spy
Light suspense

Thank-you NetGalley and Orion Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

to margaux adams, you one hell of a lucky girl to go on a vacation for free (even though it's just a mission.)

while reading the blurb and the actual content of the book (at 5%), this got me excited to continue reading this.

i love the mix between romance, action and comedy. max is so professional about her work as a body double. like she really acts as a prime minister. flynn's work performance as a handler? 🫦. and his side story about his previous mission got me emotional 😞

also, this book proves that i've read the worst endearment/callsign i've ever read. i mean, the reason behind it got me in awe. but hearing them in a big age got me the ick (or is it just me?).

anyways, this got me ijbol and giggling and kicking my feet at the same time 🤭💞

This was hilarious and had me laughing out loud. Max and Flynn are so funny together and on the perfect mission together. When Max gets hired by the CIA as she looks the exact image of a foreign female prime minister Sofia Christensen, she does not count on her bodyguard a) being so goddamn hot and b) being her ex who she was madly in love with, a very long time ago (15 years!). When they are attacked by assassins thinking she is the foreign PM they end up embarking on a bit of a adventure for survival across Italy! This was so funny, I loved the chemistry and tension between Max and Flynn (although Starfish?! haha) as the initial resentment towards each other evapourated and was kept on the edge of my seat with the thrill of the ride (pun intended) and had my imagination going wild imagining the scenes play out with the scenery descriptions. I loved Flynn's protectiveness over Max which is also reciprocated by Max for Flynn.
I thought it was really well thought out and honestly was so funny. Definitely a feel good rom-com.

I absolutely loved this book! I love th royal aspect and the swapping of lives especially the romance and high speed chases were chefs kiss! This would make a great movie!

Carlie does it again!! What a thrilling, fast-paced romantic comedy, full of mystery and longing.

Max looks the spitting image of a foreign female prime minister and is recruited by the CIA to be her body double. Amazing! But to make matters worse her handler (aka bodyguard) is the sexy Flynn who she once loved. Add in assassins who want to kill the Prime Minister and you're on a wild, romantic adventure in picturesque Italy!

Obsessed. I read this one so fast because I was literally hooked. Also - side note - what is it about a love interest being able to communicate through an ear piece that is so hot?

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!