Review by Gabrielle
Full of high-stakes hijinks, this second-chance romance is a fun read.
Favourite Quote:
He winces with the tiniest hint of crow’s feet, the corner of his pretty mouth turned up, and the way his forehead creases triggers some long-buried memory, tugging at the core of me.
“Hi Max,” he says, silky smooth, voice like spearmint gum tastes.
I might black out for a second. Because it’s impossible. Totally, absolutely impossible.
Standing there in the safe house foyer is the first and only man I’ve ever loved.
Book Synopsis:
Two exes. One mission. A trip she’ll never forget…
Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt and just happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Europe’s youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen . . .
So when the prime minister receives a credible death threat, the CIA approaches Max with a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister’s annual Italian trip.
It would be a dream if it weren’t for those pesky assassins and Flynn, Max’s ridiculously hot handler – the man who broke her heart years and years ago.
With her life now on the line, Max knows she has no choice but to lose herself in the role. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that’s a risk that she isn’t willing to take . . .
Review:
This book is so much fun. I needed a little adventure in my life, so when I saw this book, I was immediately interested. Carlie Walker is a new author to me, and I can confidently say I’d read another by her. I really enjoyed this one.
The location was also a big draw. I just love being an armchair traveller and getting to experience new locations through the eyes of characters. And who doesn’t love Italy? Carlie did a great job of giving us enough glimpses of Italy to satisfy my wanderlust.
I really liked both Max and Flynn as characters. Max is somewhat closed off after a bad relationship experience (with Flynn, as we find out quickly). I don’t always love this as a character motivation, to be honest. I mean, I “get” it. I just think it’s overused in romances. I’m happy to say that Carlie had me leaning in this time; it didn’t actually bother me. We got enough background on the characters to make it make sense. Flynn was a good book boyfriend for Max. I loved the banter between them; there were some genuinely funny moments. Bonus points for the awesome secondary character in Giorgio, the owner of the hotel they stay in. He is just so sweet, funny and wonderful.
The plot moves along at a great pace. Fast enough to keep me sucked in but not so fast that there is no opportunity for the characters to develop their relationship. Despite the hijinks, there are also enough quiet moments between Flynn and Max to balance it out, making their relationship believable.
Overall, an entertaining read if you’re looking for something with a bit of action in a great location.
Thank you, Berkeley Romance, for the ARC in return for an honest review.
