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Code Word Romance
Don't miss the next hilarious and gorgeously romantic romcom from Carlie Walker - out March 2025!
________
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 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 . . .
Red, White and Royal Blue meets Emily Henry with a touch of The Lizzie McGuire Movie in this opposites-attract, fake-dating romcom. Perfect for fans of Katherine Center and Ali Hazelwood.
________
YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS LOVE CARLIE WALKER!
'I can't remember the last time I smiled so much while reading a book' Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer
'Fun, flirty, and fabulous!' Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop
'A hilarious, smart and swoony joy of a romcom' Cressida Mclaughlin, author of From Cornwall with Love
'A masterclass in how to create sizzling chemistry. Five stars!' Lorraine Brown, author of The Paris Connection
'Carlie Walker's debut novel is an absolute knockout! Her sparkling wit and keep-em-guessing plot had me totally smitten and also dreaming of a new career as a spy' Falon Ballard, author of Just My Type
'Riotously fun and perfectly swoony, The Takedown is the spy romcom you didn't know you needed. I loved every page' Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind
'I love everything about this book. I'm a Carlie Walker fan for life. The easiest five stars ever' Lizzy Dent, author of The Summer Job
'Sizzling with romantic tension, The Takedown effortlessly blends romance, action, and shifting sibling dynamics into one firecracker of a story--you won't want to put this one down!' Kayla Olson, author of The Reunion
'Steamy, swoony and laugh-out-loud funny, The Takedown is part-Finlay-Donovan mystery, part-Emily-Henry-rom-com--and 100 percent perfect.
________
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 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 . . .
Red, White and Royal Blue meets Emily Henry with a touch of The Lizzie McGuire Movie in this opposites-attract, fake-dating romcom. Perfect for fans of Katherine Center and Ali Hazelwood.
________
YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS LOVE CARLIE WALKER!
'I can't remember the last time I smiled so much while reading a book' Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer
'Fun, flirty, and fabulous!' Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop
'A hilarious, smart and swoony joy of a romcom' Cressida Mclaughlin, author of From Cornwall with Love
'A masterclass in how to create sizzling chemistry. Five stars!' Lorraine Brown, author of The Paris Connection
'Carlie Walker's debut novel is an absolute knockout! Her sparkling wit and keep-em-guessing plot had me totally smitten and also dreaming of a new career as a spy' Falon Ballard, author of Just My Type
'Riotously fun and perfectly swoony, The Takedown is the spy romcom you didn't know you needed. I loved every page' Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind
'I love everything about this book. I'm a Carlie Walker fan for life. The easiest five stars ever' Lizzy Dent, author of The Summer Job
'Sizzling with romantic tension, The Takedown effortlessly blends romance, action, and shifting sibling dynamics into one firecracker of a story--you won't want to put this one down!' Kayla Olson, author of The Reunion
'Steamy, swoony and laugh-out-loud funny, The Takedown is part-Finlay-Donovan mystery, part-Emily-Henry-rom-com--and 100 percent perfect.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2025
82 people are currently reading
13426 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
April 21, 2025
If you wish rom-com movies had more action and simultaneously wish action movies had more romance, this is the book for you! The premise of the FMC acting as the body double for a world leader was so creative. Plus the dash of second chance romance with her bodyguard/CIA handler? Love it. This reminded me so much of the movie Monte Carlo.
I loved how, even though it was light and entertaining, the FMC had emotional depth. And there was a quirky and fun cast of side characters (Calvin and Giorgio). It was the perfect balance of romance and action, and I seriously need this to be the next summer rom-com book-to-movie adaptation!
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for sending me a copy of Code Word Romance. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
I loved how, even though it was light and entertaining, the FMC had emotional depth. And there was a quirky and fun cast of side characters (Calvin and Giorgio). It was the perfect balance of romance and action, and I seriously need this to be the next summer rom-com book-to-movie adaptation!
Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for sending me a copy of Code Word Romance. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
dnf
September 3, 2025౨ৎ soft dnf 24% the only reason why i’m dnfing this book is because i am in such a autumn mood it’s crazyy and i just CANNOT read a another summer romance lol😅🤧 (the curse of being mostly a seasonal reader…) but next summer this book is the first book of the summer mark my words (or it will if i won’t forget)🥲 anyway i’ll come back to it. I’m sure. 99.8% sure hehe
─ ⟡⋆˚꩜｡ pre read ⛱️ᝰ.ᐟ
The last summer romance book of this year — here we go 🙂↕️ (why does that actually sound so sad??🤧)
─ ⟡⋆˚꩜｡ pre read ⛱️ᝰ.ᐟ
The last summer romance book of this year — here we go 🙂↕️ (why does that actually sound so sad??🤧)
March 15, 2025
Code Word Romance is a unique and fun romcom that incorporates action packed thrills and a second chance romance. The heroine is paid 5 million to impersonate a European Prime minister and because she’s down on her luck she takes the job. Unfortunately, this isn’t an easy way to get that money. People have hits out on the prime minister and the job is extremely dangerous. Good thing she has a bodyguard to protect her! Or is it? Because the same man that’s now protecting her life just so happens to be her ex-boyfriend! And she has no intentions of letting him break her heart all over again…
Packed with a good amount of danger and a sweet second chance romance, this is a must read! I found myself laughing and just enjoying myself when reading this one. The premise is like nothing I’ve read before, so I was easily able to get swept away in the novel! If you’re looking for a quirky, action-packed romance then it is a must read for you!
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Romcoms with thrills!
❥ Second Chances
❥ Spy Thrillers
Packed with a good amount of danger and a sweet second chance romance, this is a must read! I found myself laughing and just enjoying myself when reading this one. The premise is like nothing I’ve read before, so I was easily able to get swept away in the novel! If you’re looking for a quirky, action-packed romance then it is a must read for you!
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Romcoms with thrills!
❥ Second Chances
❥ Spy Thrillers
March 10, 2025
I love a second chance!
This book had a really unique set up. Max is approached by the CIA to be a body double for a prime minister on a trip to Italy. The only problem is her handler is the ex who broke her heart.
Max is chaotic and fun. Flynn was kind of closed off and I wish we got more from him. The action in this kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t see any of the twists coming.
Thank you Berkley Romance and PRHAudio for the arcs!
what to expect
⟢ second chance
⟢ bodyguard
⟢ Italian getaway with a twist
actual rating 3.5
instagram || storygraph
This book had a really unique set up. Max is approached by the CIA to be a body double for a prime minister on a trip to Italy. The only problem is her handler is the ex who broke her heart.
Max is chaotic and fun. Flynn was kind of closed off and I wish we got more from him. The action in this kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t see any of the twists coming.
Thank you Berkley Romance and PRHAudio for the arcs!
what to expect
⟢ second chance
⟢ bodyguard
⟢ Italian getaway with a twist
actual rating 3.5
instagram || storygraph
Read
March 17, 2025The cover and the wording of the blurb, etc, points toward romance, which I think is important for those cruising for their next romantic read. The expectations of romance are different from the expectations of a thriller, though this has thriller aspects. I don't know if "romantic-suspense" is still in use anymore; it has a long and stellar history, beginning with (in my own reading experience, when I was 13) Mary Stewat's Madam Will You Talk.
Max is down and out when she is approached by a woman from the CIA. They need Max for an emergency body double for a (gorgeous) PM. Right there, of course, is the trope splitting point: readers wanting Le Carre-level verisimilitude will raise a couple of eyebrows, muttering, "The CIA would never hire someone off the street" but if you're a romance reader, the prospect of the heroine doubling for an internationally respected Prime Minister she happens to resemble uncannily, and her handler being a very hot ex, is just the ticket. The realistic deets of the weird, high-octane stress spy world aren't the focus but the backdrop.
So begins a wild ride through Italy as Max pretends to be Prime Minister Sofia. Bullets (and lobsters, and pigeons) fly, and the world is filled with sinister assassins, but Max learns on the run, while the embers of that romance fire up again hotter than ever. There is plenty of wild action, and grace notes of humor, and Max gets to rise beautifully to the occasion, which is exactly what I want in a romantic-suspense novel. What a fun read!
Max is down and out when she is approached by a woman from the CIA. They need Max for an emergency body double for a (gorgeous) PM. Right there, of course, is the trope splitting point: readers wanting Le Carre-level verisimilitude will raise a couple of eyebrows, muttering, "The CIA would never hire someone off the street" but if you're a romance reader, the prospect of the heroine doubling for an internationally respected Prime Minister she happens to resemble uncannily, and her handler being a very hot ex, is just the ticket. The realistic deets of the weird, high-octane stress spy world aren't the focus but the backdrop.
So begins a wild ride through Italy as Max pretends to be Prime Minister Sofia. Bullets (and lobsters, and pigeons) fly, and the world is filled with sinister assassins, but Max learns on the run, while the embers of that romance fire up again hotter than ever. There is plenty of wild action, and grace notes of humor, and Max gets to rise beautifully to the occasion, which is exactly what I want in a romantic-suspense novel. What a fun read!
February 28, 2025
Code Word Romance was an absolute blast—part high-stakes spy thriller, part sizzling second-chance romance, and 100% pure fun. Max, our delightfully reluctant doppelgänger for a foreign prime minister, just wanted to pay off her debt, not dodge assassins and fake her way through international diplomacy. And yet, there she was, thrown into the deep end of danger and feelings, all while being stuck with her maddeningly attractive ex, Flynn.
The tension? Immaculate. The banter? Off the charts. The slow-burn chemistry between Max and Flynn had me flipping pages at top speed, wondering if they’d give in to their unresolved feelings before or after evading death. And let’s be honest—there’s just something about forced proximity, secret identities, and only one bed that makes for the best kind of chaos.
Carlie Walker nailed a great balance of action, humor, and swoon-worthy romance, making this read feel like a rom-com meets an action movie in the best way possible. If you love spy hijinks, sharp-witted leads, and a romance hotter than an Italian summer, Code Word Romance is calling your name.
The tension? Immaculate. The banter? Off the charts. The slow-burn chemistry between Max and Flynn had me flipping pages at top speed, wondering if they’d give in to their unresolved feelings before or after evading death. And let’s be honest—there’s just something about forced proximity, secret identities, and only one bed that makes for the best kind of chaos.
Carlie Walker nailed a great balance of action, humor, and swoon-worthy romance, making this read feel like a rom-com meets an action movie in the best way possible. If you love spy hijinks, sharp-witted leads, and a romance hotter than an Italian summer, Code Word Romance is calling your name.
May 6, 2025
4⭐️
When Max actually gets to Italy- to impersonate the Prime Minister on her yearly Italian vacation- she finds out that her CIA handler is non-other than her ex, Flynn. He is also the personal who accidentally put the CIA on her scent, mentioning he knew someone who looked just like Sofia.
The two spend the next week trying to get by on what was supposed to be a very simple job- hang by the beach and lounge around Italy, with no one any wiser that Max wasn't in fact Sofia. Of course things go off the rails and Max and Flynn are forced closer and closer together.
Max and Flynn were very cute- we got some very brief glimpses of what their summer fling looked like 10 years before. I wish this story focused a little more on them as a couple though. There just wasn't a lot of space for them, with the impersonation and being on the run around Italy.
"If you're mine, then I'm yours.’‘I've always been yours."This was a blast! A light and easy little trip to Italy. Max is a down on her luck chef from Maine, who is approached by the CIA because she bears an uncanny resemblance to the Prime Minister of Summerland, Sofia Christansen.
When Max actually gets to Italy- to impersonate the Prime Minister on her yearly Italian vacation- she finds out that her CIA handler is non-other than her ex, Flynn. He is also the personal who accidentally put the CIA on her scent, mentioning he knew someone who looked just like Sofia.
The two spend the next week trying to get by on what was supposed to be a very simple job- hang by the beach and lounge around Italy, with no one any wiser that Max wasn't in fact Sofia. Of course things go off the rails and Max and Flynn are forced closer and closer together.
Max and Flynn were very cute- we got some very brief glimpses of what their summer fling looked like 10 years before. I wish this story focused a little more on them as a couple though. There just wasn't a lot of space for them, with the impersonation and being on the run around Italy.
January 5, 2025
3.5 stars -
~~~~
I really enjoyed the author’s last publication so I thought I would give this one a shot as well. I like her concept of the story as it was definitely a different plot than what we normally see.
The author certainly gave us plenty of twists in this book and I felt the romance portion was secondary to the action and suspense.
Personally, I was looking for more in between the two main characters. I felt that their connection was good, but the story lacked that intrinsic connection and passion, focusing more on the suspense/espionage factors. The secondary characters were a big part of this story adding depth and dimensional factors.
Code Word Romance is an enjoyable story that keeps you guessing. It is entertaining and completely standalone in terms of the plot. I wanted more depth to the romance. Otherwise, this is a fun, fast-paced, and exciting story that pumps your heart.
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/code-word-ro...
~~~~
I really enjoyed the author’s last publication so I thought I would give this one a shot as well. I like her concept of the story as it was definitely a different plot than what we normally see.
The author certainly gave us plenty of twists in this book and I felt the romance portion was secondary to the action and suspense.
Personally, I was looking for more in between the two main characters. I felt that their connection was good, but the story lacked that intrinsic connection and passion, focusing more on the suspense/espionage factors. The secondary characters were a big part of this story adding depth and dimensional factors.
Code Word Romance is an enjoyable story that keeps you guessing. It is entertaining and completely standalone in terms of the plot. I wanted more depth to the romance. Otherwise, this is a fun, fast-paced, and exciting story that pumps your heart.
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
** Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/code-word-ro...
May 12, 2025
* 2.75⭐️2🌶️
* Book follows max and Flynn. A chef down on her luck and a CIA handler.
* Max is propositioned to do something so outlandish for an exorbitant amount of money that she can’t say no. Right? she’s looks exactly like a prime minister who has been getting assassination attempts and now needs a look alike to take her place.
* Her bodyguard handler just happens to be a guy she has a history with from when they were younger.
* Calvin, maxs roomate is the sweetest
* To make this story sound less completely bonkers there is a side of mystery with Sophia that makes us feel that this mission is just more than “rest and relaxation”
* Perfect summer read, low stakes. Easy to come back to and read. To me it was kinda boring which adds to the appeal of a summer read. One you’re not going to get sucked into.
* Book follows max and Flynn. A chef down on her luck and a CIA handler.
* Max is propositioned to do something so outlandish for an exorbitant amount of money that she can’t say no. Right? she’s looks exactly like a prime minister who has been getting assassination attempts and now needs a look alike to take her place.
* Her bodyguard handler just happens to be a guy she has a history with from when they were younger.
* Calvin, maxs roomate is the sweetest
* To make this story sound less completely bonkers there is a side of mystery with Sophia that makes us feel that this mission is just more than “rest and relaxation”
* Perfect summer read, low stakes. Easy to come back to and read. To me it was kinda boring which adds to the appeal of a summer read. One you’re not going to get sucked into.
March 22, 2025
PLEASE bring this on your next vacay!!! Such a cute, keep you on your toes, rom com!
February 10, 2025
‘if you're mine, then i'm yours.’
‘i've always been yours.’
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 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 🤭💞
───────────────────────
pre-read:
update: 02-03-25
now who would have that i need to read a silly romance book while tandem reading with a ya fantasy book? 🤭
update: 11-16-24
as soon as i saw the words red, white and royal blue and the lizzie mcguire movie, i know i have to pick this up! 🤭🩷
thank you to netgalley and orion for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
‘i've always been yours.’
to margaux adams, you one hell of a lucky girl to go on a vacation for free (
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 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 🤭💞
───────────────────────
pre-read:
update: 02-03-25
now who would have that i need to read a silly romance book while tandem reading with a ya fantasy book? 🤭
update: 11-16-24
as soon as i saw the words red, white and royal blue and the lizzie mcguire movie, i know i have to pick this up! 🤭🩷
thank you to netgalley and orion for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
March 16, 2025
This is such a fun and entertaining read!
Max is an ordinary girl who is just trying to make ends meet. The only difference is she looks exactly like Europe’s youngest female Prime Minister, Sofia Christensen.
The Prime Minister has been receiving death threats so the CIA confronts Max asking if she can step in as a body double during Sofia’s annual Italy trip. The amount of money they are willing to pay Max makes it very hard for her to turn it down.
When she gets to Italy she learns her handler is Flynn, an ex from many years ago who broke her heart. She refuses to fall for him again. They have some good banter between one another and some great scenes of trying to escape assassins.
This has the perfect balance of romance and action. There are many laugh out loud moments and some great action scenes!
Thank you very much to Berkley Romance for a free copy!
Max is an ordinary girl who is just trying to make ends meet. The only difference is she looks exactly like Europe’s youngest female Prime Minister, Sofia Christensen.
The Prime Minister has been receiving death threats so the CIA confronts Max asking if she can step in as a body double during Sofia’s annual Italy trip. The amount of money they are willing to pay Max makes it very hard for her to turn it down.
When she gets to Italy she learns her handler is Flynn, an ex from many years ago who broke her heart. She refuses to fall for him again. They have some good banter between one another and some great scenes of trying to escape assassins.
This has the perfect balance of romance and action. There are many laugh out loud moments and some great action scenes!
Thank you very much to Berkley Romance for a free copy!
March 24, 2025
I’ve decided this is my favorite type of romance: fun, flirty, and with a side of assassins
March 20, 2025
4.5 stars
Max agrees to body double as a foreign prime minister to the tune of five million dollars and a stress free Italian vacation. Only it's not stress free and someone wants her (errrr the PM) unalived.
Her handler is none other than the one who got away which is confusing and a little painful but also a lot dreamy.
Carlie's debut The Takedown was such a joy to read, Code Word Romance immediately became a highly anticipated read for
2025. It did not disappoint. If you need a book to bring you joy, I don't think you could go wrong with this one. It's a romp (not serious) sort of high stakes Italian adventure but with paparazzi, pasta, and a high speed chase or two. I had a lot of fun reading this one while traveling myself!
Thank you Berkley Romance for the advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.
Max agrees to body double as a foreign prime minister to the tune of five million dollars and a stress free Italian vacation. Only it's not stress free and someone wants her (errrr the PM) unalived.
Her handler is none other than the one who got away which is confusing and a little painful but also a lot dreamy.
Carlie's debut The Takedown was such a joy to read, Code Word Romance immediately became a highly anticipated read for
2025. It did not disappoint. If you need a book to bring you joy, I don't think you could go wrong with this one. It's a romp (not serious) sort of high stakes Italian adventure but with paparazzi, pasta, and a high speed chase or two. I had a lot of fun reading this one while traveling myself!
Thank you Berkley Romance for the advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.
March 28, 2025
I loved the author's debut (The Takedown) and was so excited to read this. While it has its moments, I was ultimately bored and kept getting distracted by plot inconsistencies (why would Max be allowed to keep her personal cell phone?!, etc.). I'm not sure I believed that Max and Flynn never got over each other in the 10+ years they hadn't seen each other.
If you enjoy second chance romance and don't mind a zany, far-fetched storyline, you may like this.
If you enjoy second chance romance and don't mind a zany, far-fetched storyline, you may like this.
July 21, 2025
Max looks bizarrely like the Prime Minister of Summerland, Sofia Christiansen. So much so that she is approached by the CIA and act as the PM’s body double during her annual vacation to Italy. You see, the PM is being hunted by assassins and Max as the body double would throw them off PM Sofia’s trail. Max is desperate for money after her restaurant failed and this is an offer too good to pass up, so she accepts. She is assigned a handler/bodyguard in her role as understudy for the Prime Minister, and it just happens to be Flynn, a bit she fell in love with one summer over a decade ago and then he broke her heart. Feelings immediately come flooding back to both of them and he struggles to ride the line between not being distracted by his feelings for her given the dangerous circumstances and wanting a second chance.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
What an absolutely charming and delightful read! Part action/mystery/thriller (light) and part romance, this was such a good time. The premise is wacky as are the characters. I love a romantic action caper book and this one hit the spot.
Notably I read this on a vacation to Maine, not knowing that our FMC is from Maine and much of the descriptions of her youth were places I was actually in during my vacation. This was a serendipitous coincidence that made me enjoy the book’s setting even more. Between coastal Maine and coastal Italy, she’s a perfect vacation read.
A few of the plot points were a little thin, e.g. I wanted more of the “ex best friend” backstory and a little more of his history and backstory. But I was willing to overlook that for the goofy, fun time.
A perfect vacation read with a sweet romance and action-forward plot!
🫡 Tropes deployed: second chance romance, summer romance, bodyguard, crime/caper comedy, chef FMC, CIA MMC
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
What an absolutely charming and delightful read! Part action/mystery/thriller (light) and part romance, this was such a good time. The premise is wacky as are the characters. I love a romantic action caper book and this one hit the spot.
Notably I read this on a vacation to Maine, not knowing that our FMC is from Maine and much of the descriptions of her youth were places I was actually in during my vacation. This was a serendipitous coincidence that made me enjoy the book’s setting even more. Between coastal Maine and coastal Italy, she’s a perfect vacation read.
A few of the plot points were a little thin, e.g. I wanted more of the “ex best friend” backstory and a little more of his history and backstory. But I was willing to overlook that for the goofy, fun time.
A perfect vacation read with a sweet romance and action-forward plot!
🫡 Tropes deployed: second chance romance, summer romance, bodyguard, crime/caper comedy, chef FMC, CIA MMC
March 17, 2025
⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 2/5
Thank you @berkleyromance for the free book!
I absolutely LOVED this story! I was immediately drawn in from the start as we jumped right into the middle of a high-speed motorcycle chase! I just love it when stories start strong like this, making my heart race even though I have NO IDEA what’s going on. SO FUN! The rest of the story was just like this too.
Our FMC, Max, just so happens to look exactly like a Prime Minister of a foreign country, who just so happens to be the focus of an active assassination plot… Yikes. When the CIA shows up at Max’s place of work with an offer she can’t refuse (💰), she is shocked when her new handler turns out to be the guy who completely shattered her heart over ten years ago.
While Max and Flynn learn to work together despite their history, dodging assassins and feelings, they find out that what drove them apart wasn’t what they initially thought. With a few lingering stares and a handful of ‘let me bandage up that wound for you’, things between these two start heating up and I couldn’t get enough!
This was definitely a more mild romance, but I enjoyed it all the same. I found the storyline oh so exciting and I couldn’t wait to discover who was truly behind the PM’s assassination attempts! With a cast of hilarious side characters, Code Word Romance kept me interested from beginning to end! I cannot wait to read more from Carlie Walker!
🌶️ 2/5
Thank you @berkleyromance for the free book!
I absolutely LOVED this story! I was immediately drawn in from the start as we jumped right into the middle of a high-speed motorcycle chase! I just love it when stories start strong like this, making my heart race even though I have NO IDEA what’s going on. SO FUN! The rest of the story was just like this too.
Our FMC, Max, just so happens to look exactly like a Prime Minister of a foreign country, who just so happens to be the focus of an active assassination plot… Yikes. When the CIA shows up at Max’s place of work with an offer she can’t refuse (💰), she is shocked when her new handler turns out to be the guy who completely shattered her heart over ten years ago.
While Max and Flynn learn to work together despite their history, dodging assassins and feelings, they find out that what drove them apart wasn’t what they initially thought. With a few lingering stares and a handful of ‘let me bandage up that wound for you’, things between these two start heating up and I couldn’t get enough!
This was definitely a more mild romance, but I enjoyed it all the same. I found the storyline oh so exciting and I couldn’t wait to discover who was truly behind the PM’s assassination attempts! With a cast of hilarious side characters, Code Word Romance kept me interested from beginning to end! I cannot wait to read more from Carlie Walker!
dnf
July 7, 2025DNF at 42%
I knew I'd have to suspend a fair amount of disbelief for this premise (why would the CIA provide a body double for a different country's prime minister?!) but I was hoping it would have the kind of mystery + humor I've been craving lately. (See: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter and It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier.) Unfortunately, there's too much that doesn't make sense. While I'm curious about why Flynn disappeared after his summer fling with Max, I'm not curious enough to persevere through the increasing implausibilities.
Characters: Max is a 29 year old chef, caterer's front of house, and CIA asset/body double. Flynn is a white CIA agent. Max and Flynn dated the summer she was 18. This is set in Kennebunkport, ME and Positano and Rome, Italy.
Content notes: panic attack, attempted murder, assassination attempts on the Summerland Prime Minister, debt from restaurant (had to close it during the pandemic), past death of pet dog, alcohol, marijuana (secondary character), ableist language
I knew I'd have to suspend a fair amount of disbelief for this premise (why would the CIA provide a body double for a different country's prime minister?!) but I was hoping it would have the kind of mystery + humor I've been craving lately. (See: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter and It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier.) Unfortunately, there's too much that doesn't make sense. While I'm curious about why Flynn disappeared after his summer fling with Max, I'm not curious enough to persevere through the increasing implausibilities.
Characters: Max is a 29 year old chef, caterer's front of house, and CIA asset/body double. Flynn is a white CIA agent. Max and Flynn dated the summer she was 18. This is set in Kennebunkport, ME and Positano and Rome, Italy.
Content notes: panic attack, attempted murder, assassination attempts on the Summerland Prime Minister, debt from restaurant (had to close it during the pandemic), past death of pet dog, alcohol, marijuana (secondary character), ableist language
April 12, 2025
4.75 this was such a fun, easy, cute read!!!! i loved the plot, i loved the characters, the romance was so sweet!!! LOVE
July 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ it was cute enough.
July 30, 2025
3.75.
Randomly stumbled upon this one on Libby. Cute rom-com
Randomly stumbled upon this one on Libby. Cute rom-com
March 31, 2025
This was a fun and fast paced second chance romance. It was quirky and silly at times, but I thought it balanced the action well. Sometimes the reason for the separation tanks the second chance trope for me, but this one worked. Max and Flynn were so young when they were together, that it was understandable that things would turn out the way they did. I liked that they got to know each other again as adults and readers were able to see the connection that brought them together in the first place. I will admit though that the second chance trope could have probably been omitted from the story completely and I think it still would have worked as a forced proximity/bodyguard romance. The ending was very sweet and this one left me with a smile on my face.
The narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker was wonderful! I was very impressed by all of the different accents and voices she used to differentiate the characters. Overall, this was an entertaining and fun romance!
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars
CW: financial concerns, threats to safety, assassination attempts (knives, bombs, car chases, guns, etc)
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*
The narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker was wonderful! I was very impressed by all of the different accents and voices she used to differentiate the characters. Overall, this was an entertaining and fun romance!
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars
CW: financial concerns, threats to safety, assassination attempts (knives, bombs, car chases, guns, etc)
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*
April 13, 2025
It was cute, as expected from a romance novel set in Italy.
FMC is down on her luck (financially), she's feeling like a total failure and the CIA approaches her in order to be a fill in for a prime minister since they're uncannily similar.
FMC is to be protected, coached and guided by none other than her first love and boyfriend (when she was 18), the one who got away and apparently who got strong and smart for a CIA position.
Checking the square of reading a romance novel set in Italy in my 2025 Bingo Reading Challenge.
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42┃29┃ 24┃92┃ 82┃1
100┃34⭕┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64⭕┃70┃15┃38⭕
84┃31┃ 62┃7┃21┃73┃28┃46┃90┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58
57┃94┃ 16┃56┃ 5┃60┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48⭕┃ 79┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36┃89┃ 33⭕
71┃19┃ 39⭕┃66┃ 55┃27┃ 20┃63┃ 11┃83
FMC is down on her luck (financially), she's feeling like a total failure and the CIA approaches her in order to be a fill in for a prime minister since they're uncannily similar.
FMC is to be protected, coached and guided by none other than her first love and boyfriend (when she was 18), the one who got away and apparently who got strong and smart for a CIA position.
Checking the square of reading a romance novel set in Italy in my 2025 Bingo Reading Challenge.
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42┃29┃ 24┃92┃ 82┃1
100┃34⭕┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64⭕┃70┃15┃38⭕
84┃31┃ 62┃7┃21┃73┃28┃46┃90┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58
57┃94┃ 16┃56┃ 5┃60┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48⭕┃ 79┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36┃89┃ 33⭕
71┃19┃ 39⭕┃66┃ 55┃27┃ 20┃63┃ 11┃83
2025
October 21, 2025Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
April 2, 2025
An adventurous story with chase scenes, silly characters doing silly things, and romance. This would make a fun movie, actually.
November 19, 2024
Max is on vacation in Italy, lounging on the beach and eating more gelato than one person needs. It would be heaven...if only she weren't there as a body double of Europe's youngest prime minister, Sofia Christensen. Because that Sofia is under threat of assassination. Never mind that Max's only qualification is that she looks EXACTLY like her. Walker's second adult novel is just as action-packed, hilarious, and swoony as her first! This perfect read is just what you need to get you through those remaining cold days of winter!
Release Date: 3/18/2025
Release Date: 3/18/2025
June 10, 2025
This was fine. Definitely not a book you should take too seriously though. There was a lot that happened that was very convenient and I found the final reveal to be boring. I would have liked someone else to be behind it. I found the love interest Flynn to be quite flat and uninteresting and I never really got a connection between the two of them, though that might be because second chance romance isn’t my favorite. Anyway, if you can suspend your disbelief a bit, you’ll probably have fun with this.
February 23, 2025
thanks Penguin Random House for the alc!!
i met this author at Love Y’all festival and got to tell her how much i enjoy it! this is fun romance mixed with a spy thriller! there was a fun little mystery aspect too. the narrator was great and did so well with all the accents and voices. i really enjoyed this one!!
i met this author at Love Y’all festival and got to tell her how much i enjoy it! this is fun romance mixed with a spy thriller! there was a fun little mystery aspect too. the narrator was great and did so well with all the accents and voices. i really enjoyed this one!!
March 1, 2025
*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*
Carlie Walker described this to me as The Lizzie McGuire Movie with spies, and WHAT A COMP! (Moreover, it's an accurate one too.)
A chef serving as a body double for the Prime Minister of an obscure European country for 5 million dollars, no way that could go wrong, right? It's packed with vespa chases, assassination attempts, and... y'know, that kind of action too. And it makes sense, seeing as her handler is her mega hunky ex-boyfriend! Carlie Walker is able to mix romance, comedy, and suspense with ease, all set against the Amalfi Coast.
The narration was top notch, intentionally poor Norwegian accents and all. I couldn't stop laughing, which was the perfect balm after a stressful month. Check this one out if you need an escape!
Carlie Walker described this to me as The Lizzie McGuire Movie with spies, and WHAT A COMP! (Moreover, it's an accurate one too.)
A chef serving as a body double for the Prime Minister of an obscure European country for 5 million dollars, no way that could go wrong, right? It's packed with vespa chases, assassination attempts, and... y'know, that kind of action too. And it makes sense, seeing as her handler is her mega hunky ex-boyfriend! Carlie Walker is able to mix romance, comedy, and suspense with ease, all set against the Amalfi Coast.
The narration was top notch, intentionally poor Norwegian accents and all. I couldn't stop laughing, which was the perfect balm after a stressful month. Check this one out if you need an escape!
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