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M.I.T.H.O.S #1
Spies Like Me
For so long now I’ve been a solo operative, not having to worry about anyone but my target and myself. I even have a code name that is whispered throughout the underworld. The Phantom. And people know to be scared if they get on my radar.
But the director of the secret agency I work for is also my dad, and I’m still his little girl despite how many kills I have under my belt. He’s decided that I need to have a team to back me up.
I strongly disagree.
But we made a deal. If he wins, I have to join a team of his choosing and work a sex trafficking case with them, leaving the Phantom to retire. But if I win, he never brings it up again and I get to stay a ghost.
I’m going to hand this team their ass, because the Phantom is not a team player
But the director of the secret agency I work for is also my dad, and I’m still his little girl despite how many kills I have under my belt. He’s decided that I need to have a team to back me up.
I strongly disagree.
But we made a deal. If he wins, I have to join a team of his choosing and work a sex trafficking case with them, leaving the Phantom to retire. But if I win, he never brings it up again and I get to stay a ghost.
I’m going to hand this team their ass, because the Phantom is not a team player
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2023
377 people are currently reading
1074 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
April 20, 2024
5 stars.
WHAT AN AMAZING START TO THE SERIES!!!
I'm totally in love with this book. Hands down has to be a favourite of mine. Kenzie was a badass FMC that was remarkable in her own right. The guys were all great. Max and Dayton are going to be the ones that I look forward to the most.
The whole plot of this book was fantastic. Secret spy organisation with prominent members being from royalty. I would love to see more from her family. Hopefully we get to meet her grandfather in the next book.
I just could not put this book down. I'm excited to where Lexie Winston goes with this series. Highly recommend any of her books. You will not be disappointed.
WHAT AN AMAZING START TO THE SERIES!!!
I'm totally in love with this book. Hands down has to be a favourite of mine. Kenzie was a badass FMC that was remarkable in her own right. The guys were all great. Max and Dayton are going to be the ones that I look forward to the most.
The whole plot of this book was fantastic. Secret spy organisation with prominent members being from royalty. I would love to see more from her family. Hopefully we get to meet her grandfather in the next book.
I just could not put this book down. I'm excited to where Lexie Winston goes with this series. Highly recommend any of her books. You will not be disappointed.
December 19, 2023
Tunnel vision, adult teens and parents that are very supportive about hiring escorts for their kids. The more I read, the more I thought ‘what have I just read’.
Firstly, the start was very similar to ‘CIA Specter’ by Wren White. Both these FMC’s are ghost assassins, want to meet their new team undercover and their dads are both bosses of the organisation. I’ve only read 2 spy RH and they are freakily similar. Not a statement, just a point…🫣
👇Spoilers👇
Here are some points that I am finding hard to rationalise:
1. The parents are problematic.
So the fmc wants to become a spy and begins her training at 16. Now a part of this training is the art of seduction, basically learning to become a ‘honeytrap’. So they decide they need to bring in an escort to teach her these skills. The mum is all for it, but the dad is hesitant,until it caves, as he understands it’s a good skill to have.
I’m sorry what the hell is happening. They basically just okayed sex school for their kid and are okay with her pursuing this career. It’s met with zero resistance AT ALL. Mind-blown
2. She is an actual princess, who is occasionally in the public eye, but they don’t recognise her because she is really good at make up.
Now I believe in the power of make up, but I don’t think it’s the same thing as a head transplant.
3. The jacked 22 year old spy MMC’s, are posing as 18 year olds and everyone is just like ‘Okay’. *Sigh*
4. The MMC’s are judgey and the FMC is an over-explainer.
The FMC is very open about liking the sex and murder that accompanies her job. Has she had to sleep with a lot of bad men … yes. Does she care about your opinion … no. The guys continue to make comments or judgements about her until maybe 70%. I swear the amount of times she is called a ‘whore’ by people in this book is honestly so irritating. Either come up with a more varied vocabulary or change the MMC’s personalities. It’s getting boring.
She is a badass spy with all these skills, but seduction is the only one she seems to constantly talk about and is berated for. She does seem to repeat herself a lot though, like she is trying to justify her sexuality to the reader. Honey I came here for the plot and the spice, you don’t need to keep explaining.
5. Before she finds out that a guy is actually apart of her team, she thinks he is a sex trafficker. How does she act in response to this. Like a stupid person.
So she is grinding on his lap and thinking about how attractive he is, and how much pleasure she is getting from this. She constantly asks herself ‘what is wrong with me’ and I was asking the same question. This behaviour is bizarre, she didn’t know who he truly was yet, but prior to this she heard him talking about potentially assaulting young girls. At this point this dude wasn’t sexy in a morally grey way, he was a straight up a paedophile and that’s how she choose to react.
This book got weird quickly and I did not fancy sticking around for the whole ride. Still on the hunt for a good espionage book though. 🤠
Firstly, the start was very similar to ‘CIA Specter’ by Wren White. Both these FMC’s are ghost assassins, want to meet their new team undercover and their dads are both bosses of the organisation. I’ve only read 2 spy RH and they are freakily similar. Not a statement, just a point…🫣
👇Spoilers👇
Here are some points that I am finding hard to rationalise:
1. The parents are problematic.
So the fmc wants to become a spy and begins her training at 16. Now a part of this training is the art of seduction, basically learning to become a ‘honeytrap’. So they decide they need to bring in an escort to teach her these skills. The mum is all for it, but the dad is hesitant,until it caves, as he understands it’s a good skill to have.
I’m sorry what the hell is happening. They basically just okayed sex school for their kid and are okay with her pursuing this career. It’s met with zero resistance AT ALL. Mind-blown
2. She is an actual princess, who is occasionally in the public eye, but they don’t recognise her because she is really good at make up.
Now I believe in the power of make up, but I don’t think it’s the same thing as a head transplant.
3. The jacked 22 year old spy MMC’s, are posing as 18 year olds and everyone is just like ‘Okay’. *Sigh*
4. The MMC’s are judgey and the FMC is an over-explainer.
The FMC is very open about liking the sex and murder that accompanies her job. Has she had to sleep with a lot of bad men … yes. Does she care about your opinion … no. The guys continue to make comments or judgements about her until maybe 70%. I swear the amount of times she is called a ‘whore’ by people in this book is honestly so irritating. Either come up with a more varied vocabulary or change the MMC’s personalities. It’s getting boring.
She is a badass spy with all these skills, but seduction is the only one she seems to constantly talk about and is berated for. She does seem to repeat herself a lot though, like she is trying to justify her sexuality to the reader. Honey I came here for the plot and the spice, you don’t need to keep explaining.
5. Before she finds out that a guy is actually apart of her team, she thinks he is a sex trafficker. How does she act in response to this. Like a stupid person.
So she is grinding on his lap and thinking about how attractive he is, and how much pleasure she is getting from this. She constantly asks herself ‘what is wrong with me’ and I was asking the same question. This behaviour is bizarre, she didn’t know who he truly was yet, but prior to this she heard him talking about potentially assaulting young girls. At this point this dude wasn’t sexy in a morally grey way, he was a straight up a paedophile and that’s how she choose to react.
This book got weird quickly and I did not fancy sticking around for the whole ride. Still on the hunt for a good espionage book though. 🤠
April 9, 2023
This… was not what I was expecting from a book with such good reviews. I went into it expecting a mix of the specter series by Wren White, the redemption saga by Kristen Banet, or maybe a little Kit Davenport? I would recommend all three of those series before this one. Why? Bc it was a mess as broken down in a neat little list:
1. The high school setting was cringey as and made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Why is there so much focus on high school drama? Maybe it was more so my unpreparedness for it that made me dislike it but the constant mental math that I was doing as to whether something should disgust me bc minors were involved was unpleasant. Was it just an excuse to insert adults into a hs setting to write smut that wouldn‘t involve minors? we will never know
2. The constant reminders that sex is not a big deal to Kenzie. I get it, she‘s used to honey trapping but mentioning it once would have sufficed. this did not need to be brought up over and over.
3. itty bitty excerpt from a convo between fmc and one of her guys: “I liked marking you. Would you let me mark you again? Come closer and take your top off so I can paint your pretty tits with my cum.“ this in reference to her nose (which he broke on accident)
to which she responds with “holy hell, this guy is filthy as fuck…“ HE WANTS TO BREAK YOUR NOSE AGAIN AND YOU FIND THIS ATTRACTIVE??? absolute barf
4. the constant misogyny. I get it, Kenzie‘s not like the “normal” female agents they‘ve seen before. She‘s oh so special bc she‘s not catty and clingy like ALL THE OTHER GIRLS. this book screams “pick me girl” like nobody’s business
5. the nicknames made me uncomfortable. does the author really lack creativity so much that they have to call all the non-caucasian white males by race related nicknames throughout the book? also, i think it speaks to the rush job of an introduction that they felt the need to keep referencing to the men by said nicknames
all in all i like the premise of the book bc i loved all three of the series i mentioned above. this one? terrible execution. will not be continuing on to the next
1. The high school setting was cringey as and made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Why is there so much focus on high school drama? Maybe it was more so my unpreparedness for it that made me dislike it but the constant mental math that I was doing as to whether something should disgust me bc minors were involved was unpleasant. Was it just an excuse to insert adults into a hs setting to write smut that wouldn‘t involve minors? we will never know
2. The constant reminders that sex is not a big deal to Kenzie. I get it, she‘s used to honey trapping but mentioning it once would have sufficed. this did not need to be brought up over and over.
3. itty bitty excerpt from a convo between fmc and one of her guys: “I liked marking you. Would you let me mark you again? Come closer and take your top off so I can paint your pretty tits with my cum.“ this in reference to her nose (which he broke on accident)
to which she responds with “holy hell, this guy is filthy as fuck…“ HE WANTS TO BREAK YOUR NOSE AGAIN AND YOU FIND THIS ATTRACTIVE??? absolute barf
4. the constant misogyny. I get it, Kenzie‘s not like the “normal” female agents they‘ve seen before. She‘s oh so special bc she‘s not catty and clingy like ALL THE OTHER GIRLS. this book screams “pick me girl” like nobody’s business
5. the nicknames made me uncomfortable. does the author really lack creativity so much that they have to call all the non-caucasian white males by race related nicknames throughout the book? also, i think it speaks to the rush job of an introduction that they felt the need to keep referencing to the men by said nicknames
all in all i like the premise of the book bc i loved all three of the series i mentioned above. this one? terrible execution. will not be continuing on to the next
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2023
I almost feel bad rating this book 2 stars since I did enjoy it, but it was hard to get past a couple issues.
The internalized misogyny in this book is ridiculous. Only 11 pages in, we are told about how catty women are and that the FMC would rather shoot herself in the foot than work with a team of women. Later, we are told by one of the love interests that the reason why haven’t been able to work with women in the past because they are “overly emotional”. Past that, the men later complain that women on their team have cried because they were forced to let men sexually assault them. As if that is not something genuinely upsetting and the women were whiney for daring to shed a few tears over it.
Then, there is language the author uses that is just not okay. The FMC refers to someone who struggles with self-harm as a “cutter”. The author also refers to POC with descriptions like “chocolate-skinned”.
My last annoyance was more of a personal problem. I just absolutely hated the nicknames the men were given, especially once the FMC started saying them out loud. What kind of nickname is “Nerdy Sexy”? I cringed every time I had to read it. Somehow this felt like the worst part of my reading experience with this book lmao.
The internalized misogyny in this book is ridiculous. Only 11 pages in, we are told about how catty women are and that the FMC would rather shoot herself in the foot than work with a team of women. Later, we are told by one of the love interests that the reason why haven’t been able to work with women in the past because they are “overly emotional”. Past that, the men later complain that women on their team have cried because they were forced to let men sexually assault them. As if that is not something genuinely upsetting and the women were whiney for daring to shed a few tears over it.
Then, there is language the author uses that is just not okay. The FMC refers to someone who struggles with self-harm as a “cutter”. The author also refers to POC with descriptions like “chocolate-skinned”.
My last annoyance was more of a personal problem. I just absolutely hated the nicknames the men were given, especially once the FMC started saying them out loud. What kind of nickname is “Nerdy Sexy”? I cringed every time I had to read it. Somehow this felt like the worst part of my reading experience with this book lmao.
March 11, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I read a spy book that wasn’t academy or training related. This book is mission based. The female main character is an extremely well trained operative who always works alone. She works for an agency run by her father who tricks her into working with an established team. The are not eager to work with her at the start, but the majority realize quickly that she is an asset to them. All of the characters are diverse and well written. The sex trafficking storyline is nuanced and had me riveted throughout. The chemistry of both the team and individual relationships was believable. The story kept me guessing and the ending was a surprise. I really need the next book in the series.
March 14, 2024
I’m mixed on this because it was good enough that I wanted to read the whole thing.
The view on sex was too gross for me. I’m not especially keen on superficial one night stands. And this book was next level. The FMC was groomed into having an entirely cavalier and disconnected view on sex at the age of 16… sanctioned and supported by her family. Ironically, they are all pissed about a teenage sex ring. Like seriously- both involved child grooming for sex. The fact that the FMC is an assassin and kills bad guys doesn’t make the sexual grooming of her “ok.”
Plus - they tell us the FMC is a badass and that she has all these other skills besides use your body/sex to get information - but we don’t really see that in anything she does.
As for the guys - also gross. There wasn’t one I respected though some were definitely worse than others. Daddy poo was the worst of all IMO.
The view on sex was too gross for me. I’m not especially keen on superficial one night stands. And this book was next level. The FMC was groomed into having an entirely cavalier and disconnected view on sex at the age of 16… sanctioned and supported by her family. Ironically, they are all pissed about a teenage sex ring. Like seriously- both involved child grooming for sex. The fact that the FMC is an assassin and kills bad guys doesn’t make the sexual grooming of her “ok.”
Plus - they tell us the FMC is a badass and that she has all these other skills besides use your body/sex to get information - but we don’t really see that in anything she does.
As for the guys - also gross. There wasn’t one I respected though some were definitely worse than others. Daddy poo was the worst of all IMO.
November 9, 2024
Kenzie and team Basilisk
Kenzie is a ghost operative whose father is the director of the spy organization she’s been working for since she was 16. She’s known as the Phantom. She’s got some mad skills and she’s not afraid to use her body to take out her target. Her father has a deal with her that if a team catches her in one of their yearly assessments, she’ll no longer be a lone wolf and will be on a team. Be so sure of herself since no one’s ever been able to catch her she thinks she can go this with flying colors but this time is different and she let emotions get the best of her. Now she is working with team Basilisk to take down a sex trafficking ring in small town Georgia. Where work and real life mingles. She’s falling fast for these men who are also intrigued and infatuated by her. Hopefully things don’t go off the rails after one of their team members comes up dead at the end of book 2. Who and why was he killed??
Kenzie is a ghost operative whose father is the director of the spy organization she’s been working for since she was 16. She’s known as the Phantom. She’s got some mad skills and she’s not afraid to use her body to take out her target. Her father has a deal with her that if a team catches her in one of their yearly assessments, she’ll no longer be a lone wolf and will be on a team. Be so sure of herself since no one’s ever been able to catch her she thinks she can go this with flying colors but this time is different and she let emotions get the best of her. Now she is working with team Basilisk to take down a sex trafficking ring in small town Georgia. Where work and real life mingles. She’s falling fast for these men who are also intrigued and infatuated by her. Hopefully things don’t go off the rails after one of their team members comes up dead at the end of book 2. Who and why was he killed??
April 2, 2023
What is the theme here? Espionage where the heroine is a badass who takes down bad guys and supposedly realllly good at her job or a little girl who has no experience and get insta-love when she sees the guys? Because you’re sending me mixed signals here. Also if you’re going to try and apprehend someone, don’t have a long dialogue after you surround them… that’s what bad guys in a cheesy novel does. And that’s the vibes I got from this whole mess.
April 11, 2024
2.5 🌟 Probably the most BSC plot and backstory ever…she’s a princess and daughter of a spymaster and starts her career as an assassin and honeypot doing essentially sexwork as well at 16. Wtf. Add in she gets drafted by her father to come in from the cold to join a team and do a mission at a high school to catch some traffickers with some of the most cliche prejudiced mean girls ever… I mean I think you have to be ready to suspend belief on a lot of things and just be in the mood to be entertained in a very light way. which I was. Miller is probably one of the most annoying MMC ever. Made me want to read Kit Davenport again.
March 20, 2023
from the first chapter i already had it in my head that this book was 5 stars, the first 100 pages were mad! and the rest of the book was amazing, i recommend it to anyone who likes reverse harem romance, crimes, secret spy organization and missions.
kenzie's relationship with the other 7 guys from Team Basilisk was so well built, they all have very different personalities, despite the book being short u can connect with the characters and understand their insecurities and flaws, at first i hated miller sm , but i took a deep breath and tried to leave him in my subconscious punishment corner, not saying i forgave him, bc what he did to kenzie was so f*cked up, the same thing with bishop, who was disgusting and rotten since always, but in his case, he chose to be the worst kind of person to handle this mission, and his character? i won't even comment.
kenzie was perfect, she is one of the most amazing characters i've ever read, she doesn't mind risking her life to do the job assigned to her, there is no more complete spy/agent than her.
kenzie's relationship with the other 7 guys from Team Basilisk was so well built, they all have very different personalities, despite the book being short u can connect with the characters and understand their insecurities and flaws, at first i hated miller sm , but i took a deep breath and tried to leave him in my subconscious punishment corner, not saying i forgave him, bc what he did to kenzie was so f*cked up, the same thing with bishop, who was disgusting and rotten since always, but in his case, he chose to be the worst kind of person to handle this mission, and his character? i won't even comment.
kenzie was perfect, she is one of the most amazing characters i've ever read, she doesn't mind risking her life to do the job assigned to her, there is no more complete spy/agent than her.
June 17, 2024
The first book pulled you in, gave you some insights as to where it would lead but not enough you didn't want to continue. Our FMC is a total badass assassin named Phantom, she is exceptional at what she does to her credit, she carried her attitude with her through this book even when she met the seven guys in team Basilisk (bas*ard as she calls them). There is a little intrigue in this.
I enjoyed the read as it was a little different from usual RH.
I enjoyed the read as it was a little different from usual RH.
May 10, 2023
I like the idea but the execution was a little lack luster. I will probably read the next one since this one did end on a cliffhanger.
March 16, 2023
women do it better.
This is a great read in a different way. Spies stories are usually angsty but this story flowed well. I love feisty, smart, strong willed MFC’s. I love the fact that the MFC could do everything the men could and better. She was not afraid to get her hands dirty. Adding in the family interaction was great and I would love to meet the other ghosts as part of her story. The guys! Could not pick a favourite. (Really bad at writing reviews) can’t wait for the next one and would love to see more of her skill set where she just shocks the shit out of the men.
This is a great read in a different way. Spies stories are usually angsty but this story flowed well. I love feisty, smart, strong willed MFC’s. I love the fact that the MFC could do everything the men could and better. She was not afraid to get her hands dirty. Adding in the family interaction was great and I would love to meet the other ghosts as part of her story. The guys! Could not pick a favourite. (Really bad at writing reviews) can’t wait for the next one and would love to see more of her skill set where she just shocks the shit out of the men.
July 3, 2023
Wow!
This was a great read. Assassin spy books are the best, but you add a why choose romance in the mix, it's perfection. I recommend you read this book. The FMC is badass with just enough vulnerability that makes her perfect for her team.
This was a great read. Assassin spy books are the best, but you add a why choose romance in the mix, it's perfection. I recommend you read this book. The FMC is badass with just enough vulnerability that makes her perfect for her team.
March 15, 2023
Spoilers:
Why Choose (with MM)
Assassin/Secret Operative
Undercover mission
This is leading up to some fun spice.
I think this is a great read, I just felt a disconnect. I feel like they’re apparently so capable that the mission seems ridiculously simple. Its made me question their actual skills, because why is it taking them so long? I get it as a writer, but as a reader it comes across a bit pointless. That being said, I love the FMC even if I wish her skills were being capitalized on.
D/s, praise, cnc-ish
This was certainly interesting and the tension is great.
Why Choose (with MM)
Assassin/Secret Operative
Undercover mission
This is leading up to some fun spice.
I think this is a great read, I just felt a disconnect. I feel like they’re apparently so capable that the mission seems ridiculously simple. Its made me question their actual skills, because why is it taking them so long? I get it as a writer, but as a reader it comes across a bit pointless. That being said, I love the FMC even if I wish her skills were being capitalized on.
D/s, praise, cnc-ish
This was certainly interesting and the tension is great.
July 7, 2023
‼️One Disgusting, Triggering Star‼️
I had high hopes for this book…but unfortunately those hopes came to a very abrupt and screeching halt. I struggled really hard to finish the story. I very much wish I hadn’t.
FMC is a ghost assassin. She is currently undercover as a foster teenager in a high school that is embroiled in a sex trafficking ring. So FMC uses her body and has sexual relations with everyone in order to sell her cover. She is basically whoring herself out. She even offers to blow the disgusting and fat guidance counselor. She has sex and gives blowjobs at school, where she is being recorded by the sex traffickers…on purpose. She gives blowjobs to men with an audience of sex traffickers.
None of this is hot or sexy. It’s prostitution and it’s too close to dub-con and non-con for me. The “harem” also get sexual favors from FMC by lying to her and deceiving her. The entire situation is gross. I’m so disgusted.
The harem discount the idea that FMC has any other skills besides being a “honey trap.” By the end of the book she is still only an object of sexual gratification to the men, even if they like her more now.
The fact that her loving and protective father and mother know she whores herself out to criminals and perverts in order to capture or kill them is also disgusting, concerning, and completely unbelievable.
This is NOT a standalone
P.S. This book is a thousand percent misogynistic. The message of this book is “ women are either vapid whores, good for only sex OR women are uptight and small minded.” If a woman doesn’t believe in giving her body freely to any and all men who want her then she is small minded, uptight, and frigid.”
I had high hopes for this book…but unfortunately those hopes came to a very abrupt and screeching halt. I struggled really hard to finish the story. I very much wish I hadn’t.
FMC is a ghost assassin. She is currently undercover as a foster teenager in a high school that is embroiled in a sex trafficking ring. So FMC uses her body and has sexual relations with everyone in order to sell her cover. She is basically whoring herself out. She even offers to blow the disgusting and fat guidance counselor. She has sex and gives blowjobs at school, where she is being recorded by the sex traffickers…on purpose. She gives blowjobs to men with an audience of sex traffickers.
None of this is hot or sexy. It’s prostitution and it’s too close to dub-con and non-con for me. The “harem” also get sexual favors from FMC by lying to her and deceiving her. The entire situation is gross. I’m so disgusted.
The harem discount the idea that FMC has any other skills besides being a “honey trap.” By the end of the book she is still only an object of sexual gratification to the men, even if they like her more now.
The fact that her loving and protective father and mother know she whores herself out to criminals and perverts in order to capture or kill them is also disgusting, concerning, and completely unbelievable.
This is NOT a standalone
P.S. This book is a thousand percent misogynistic. The message of this book is “ women are either vapid whores, good for only sex OR women are uptight and small minded.” If a woman doesn’t believe in giving her body freely to any and all men who want her then she is small minded, uptight, and frigid.”
April 5, 2024
This book hit the spot for me. My number one indicator for a five star read is when I'm looking at my progress and feeling sad because it's going too fast.
Kenzie/ mac was the best kind of kick ass, take no shit character. She was kind of a psychopath with her "make no excuses" attitude, but I think every book deserves at least one psycho.
I'm not sure who my favorite guy is ... It's probably between Mac, Miller, or Rhyland. This is most likely a simple case of focus. I don't really feel like the other characters have had their limelight yet.
Good book, would recommend!
Themes:
Spycraft, cult town, mean girls, high school drama, sex trafficking, etc.
Kenzie/ mac was the best kind of kick ass, take no shit character. She was kind of a psychopath with her "make no excuses" attitude, but I think every book deserves at least one psycho.
I'm not sure who my favorite guy is ... It's probably between Mac, Miller, or Rhyland. This is most likely a simple case of focus. I don't really feel like the other characters have had their limelight yet.
Good book, would recommend!
Themes:
Spycraft, cult town, mean girls, high school drama, sex trafficking, etc.
May 24, 2023
Like a bad 13-year-old spy kids tv show.
I should have listened to the negative reviews, this book was just not giving a chance.
Also, calling people Nerdy Sexy and Asian Hottie instead of using their actual names? Yuck.
She is just another internally misogynistic “pick me girl” MC. Sigh.
I should have listened to the negative reviews, this book was just not giving a chance.
Also, calling people Nerdy Sexy and Asian Hottie instead of using their actual names? Yuck.
She is just another internally misogynistic “pick me girl” MC. Sigh.
February 14, 2024
wtf did i just read
December 28, 2024
Full of cringe
November 22, 2024
For an 'adult' contemporary romance, this felt very high school. The FMC was tolerable at best and was repetitive, horny, arrogant and easily distracted by a pair of abs. The level of 'I'm not like other girls' and 'pick me' coming from the FMC was off the charts too. While I am all for a sexually empowered FMC, it felt like this book took it to such and extreme it felt like a mockery and her only real 'value' to the team. The FMC kept going on about her high kill count and numerous skills but all she displayed was the ability to lie and not shy away from doing the dirty work (which would have been fine had her other talents actually made an appearance). This book also had a lot of misogynistic under currents (including the love interests) and paired with the crude high school setting, it felt like 90% of the content was getting the FMC to perform degrading sexual acts and then calling her a whore afterwards. In terms of actual spy/espionage stuff, the opening was very similar to Wren White's CIA Specter, and while I enjoyed the idea of going undercover in a small town to try and dismantle a trafficking ring, it felt like the actual 'mission' came second to all the school dramas. I also feel like as a team and top secret government agency, they were poorly organised and lacking proper formality and structure like one would hope from a team of assassins. From sending people into situations blind, getting distracted and reckless due to emotion far too easily, miscommunication in the pathetic 'debriefs' we did get and failing to actually make a cohesive plan, this was an embarrassing excuse for espionage. Additionally, a vast majority of the characters seemed incredibly blown out of proportion, where all the girls were catty, emotional and clingy cheerleaders obsessing over males who wouldn't give them a second glance and the men were all slimy douchebags looking for an easy lay. The love interests would have been better condensed into fewer characters with more solid personalities in my opinion because they all seemed a bit wishy washy, bland and too similar. After a good 350 pages, I couldn't tell you a single character trait Anders has besides 'hot' or Lathan besides 'sexy nerd'. I got to the last chapter and literally had a moment of being like 'wait Miller, who tf is that??' and it took me a solid minute to click and figure out which vague amorphous blob of man he was. Definitely lost bonus points for the racial profiling/descriptor nicknames that stuck right until the end too, thanks for that one author. The whole side plot with Bishop was an absolute mess too, probably intended to create mystery and a sense of dread, but it just melded into a big clusterfuck of 'we came here to end an underground trafficking ring but what if we just got to know each others bodies instead'. All in all, this book has some solid ideas that needed polishing and characters that desperately needed a revamp. It wasn't awful, but I'm not bothering with the sequel either so make of that what you will. 5/10.
November 7, 2025
My search history resents this author considering they had me googling “should you ride a motorcycle after getting your clit pierced?” The answer was exactly what I expected and i wish someone had let our FMC know that (or taught the author how to Google).
This book was the most ridiculous and unintentionally funny thing and the only reason I didn’t DNF. Reading it was like knowing a train was gonna crash but staying on to figure out how loud it sounds.
First off, not gonna touch on the fact that FMC is a Princess Spy. Honestly not even in top 10 silliest things in this book. What’s important is she is objectively a horrible spy and not a very good investigator although she seems to be miles ahead of her colleagues.
First time she hears the team talking to her father they mention that the other two members stayed back, have a father in a power role that they live with, and she never suspects the other team members are the governor’s sons even after seeing that they are the only people she knows they hang out with outside the team.
She also repeatedly does things that do not align with her cover story. First she says she plans to not draw attention, avoid making friends, and wants to come across as a battered foster kid trying to get by. However her acting is all over the place as if people in small towns don’t talk about new people at all. Sometimes she’s meek, other times she’s pushing a sex kitten narrative, or worse she is combative as hell. She immediately makes enemies and publicly antagonizes all the major players at school including teachers and most of the suspects. That’s not even touching on picking clothing she knows stands out. The guys aren’t any better. They seem to spend all their time together rather than investigating. What’s super subtle is a bunch of hot new guys always hanging out together. The original strategy of being a quiet foster kid with no connections goes out the window in the first 100 pages. She is the most talked about person in school for both teaches and students almost immediately which is not what anyone wants when they are trying to get intel on human trafficking or look like an ideal victim.
Her dialogue is so laughable that it reminds me of the girls in high school were loudly ready to fight until it was actually time to square up and then they suddenly had places to be.
Also heads up: the book is so rife with internalized misogyny that everything short of “I’m not like other girls” came out of FMCs mouth. All other female agents are apparently weak, incompetent whores
This book was the most ridiculous and unintentionally funny thing and the only reason I didn’t DNF. Reading it was like knowing a train was gonna crash but staying on to figure out how loud it sounds.
First off, not gonna touch on the fact that FMC is a Princess Spy. Honestly not even in top 10 silliest things in this book. What’s important is she is objectively a horrible spy and not a very good investigator although she seems to be miles ahead of her colleagues.
First time she hears the team talking to her father they mention that the other two members stayed back, have a father in a power role that they live with, and she never suspects the other team members are the governor’s sons even after seeing that they are the only people she knows they hang out with outside the team.
She also repeatedly does things that do not align with her cover story. First she says she plans to not draw attention, avoid making friends, and wants to come across as a battered foster kid trying to get by. However her acting is all over the place as if people in small towns don’t talk about new people at all. Sometimes she’s meek, other times she’s pushing a sex kitten narrative, or worse she is combative as hell. She immediately makes enemies and publicly antagonizes all the major players at school including teachers and most of the suspects. That’s not even touching on picking clothing she knows stands out. The guys aren’t any better. They seem to spend all their time together rather than investigating. What’s super subtle is a bunch of hot new guys always hanging out together. The original strategy of being a quiet foster kid with no connections goes out the window in the first 100 pages. She is the most talked about person in school for both teaches and students almost immediately which is not what anyone wants when they are trying to get intel on human trafficking or look like an ideal victim.
Her dialogue is so laughable that it reminds me of the girls in high school were loudly ready to fight until it was actually time to square up and then they suddenly had places to be.
Also heads up: the book is so rife with internalized misogyny that everything short of “I’m not like other girls” came out of FMCs mouth. All other female agents are apparently weak, incompetent whores
May 28, 2025
So, I found this series via Neighpalm Industries series, which I started Friday and finished this past Monday with Superficial Girl 2. And I have to say that I ADORE Lexies writing style and character depiction. Especially the FMCs in both series. What I’m not happy about is that she will write a few books in a series, leave and write another series and never come back. Superficial Girl 2 was released in 2022, and there’s 2 more FMC characters that need their story told, not because I think they do but because the epilogue literally cliffhangers you on the beginning of another fmcs story and her notes after explain another book is coming. But it’s 2025 and all the words I’ve gotten say she’s finishing up other projects. Bad form in my opinion. And the exact reason readers don’t like to read a series until it’s completed. I finished the MITHOS series today and I’m like WTH!?!?!? The last book plot was rushed to conclusion literally in the last chapter and there’s no view of the HEA or aftermath of the plot resolution, but a note indicates it’s going to flow to the next book in the series that stars a different FMC. Seriously!? I’ve got all these books ready to order hard copies but I don’t want to buy them if there’s no guarantee the stories will be completed. I’m really not trying to be a jerk but the MITHOS series books were released a year apart. Ok, I get that. But the Neighpalm Industries series began in 2020, and ended in 2022… so three years with no continuation of the series is a bit extreme IMO. Seriously disappointed in Lexie as an author. I get things come up in life, but apparently the “things” she’s been working on are entirely new series and she’s leaving her readers hanging. Absolutely certain I will not be reading another series from her unless she ends up releasing the next books in the series and gets back on track. Someone in one of my groups said Lexie didn’t start the next book in the Neighpalm Industries series because Jacinta’s story didn’t get as high of a welcome as Harlows. That’s a let down for the fans. Because even if it’s not necessarily our fav, it will still be read because we crave the interaction from the prior characters. U guess I’ll keep looking out for new books in these series.
May 3, 2024
The FMC is who I want to be when I grow up
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶
Kensington earned all 4 of these stars for this book. Her wit, her comfort with her own body and skills, the sass, and the bada****y is enough to drive anyone crazy. Like, girl is wife material, and someone needs to smack some sense into some of these men in this book.
The reasons I just couldn't give it four stars are really the men and some of the relationships in the book. I know there needed to be tension and arrogance and all that to move the plot along as well as serve up the beginnings of emotional connection, but it just fell short for me. Yes, I want the angst and the push back, but it almost seemed like there was no reason for the men to be a stubborn or ox headed as they were about kensie. Not to mention, she's pulling so much weight in the mission.
The overall story and characters were really good. Eaxh character was distinct, and some even down right lovable. The nicknames kensie gave the men loved them all. The concept behind the MITHOS is chefs' kiss. Even the writing skills itself were amazing. The father in the book is someone I wanted to smack upside the head but slowly just squished my heart due to his love for his daughter.
Spice is pretty good. There was a lot of touching, a lot of combustability, and one or two solid scenes in it. A straight-up thumbs up from the smut sl*t within me. 👌. You won't be disappointed in this fact, trust me.
Overall, it's a decent read! The ending really had me clutching my Kindle, screaming WHAT into the void, so I definitely know you're gonna want to read the next one immediately, girl. I never saw it coming, and for that, I'm impressed with the twist.
Cheers to the next book with my new wife Kensie.
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶
Kensington earned all 4 of these stars for this book. Her wit, her comfort with her own body and skills, the sass, and the bada****y is enough to drive anyone crazy. Like, girl is wife material, and someone needs to smack some sense into some of these men in this book.
The reasons I just couldn't give it four stars are really the men and some of the relationships in the book. I know there needed to be tension and arrogance and all that to move the plot along as well as serve up the beginnings of emotional connection, but it just fell short for me. Yes, I want the angst and the push back, but it almost seemed like there was no reason for the men to be a stubborn or ox headed as they were about kensie. Not to mention, she's pulling so much weight in the mission.
The overall story and characters were really good. Eaxh character was distinct, and some even down right lovable. The nicknames kensie gave the men loved them all. The concept behind the MITHOS is chefs' kiss. Even the writing skills itself were amazing. The father in the book is someone I wanted to smack upside the head but slowly just squished my heart due to his love for his daughter.
Spice is pretty good. There was a lot of touching, a lot of combustability, and one or two solid scenes in it. A straight-up thumbs up from the smut sl*t within me. 👌. You won't be disappointed in this fact, trust me.
Overall, it's a decent read! The ending really had me clutching my Kindle, screaming WHAT into the void, so I definitely know you're gonna want to read the next one immediately, girl. I never saw it coming, and for that, I'm impressed with the twist.
Cheers to the next book with my new wife Kensie.
March 7, 2023
I was utterly engrossed in this book & couldn’t put it down. LOVED Kenzie, she’s an intelligent, interesting, talented, kick@ss FMC. One who has earned her place as an assassin, a ghost operative of the organization MITHOS, code name Phantom. Her father (and director of MITHOS), would prefer her to become part of a team and they have a bet that if any of the teams catch her during their yearly evaluations, she will join their team. No one has succeeded until Team Basilisk. I like that since everyone is already a trained operative we don’t have to go back to school & instead, we go right into the mission that Team Basilisk has been assigned. Will the team be able to stop the sex trafficking supply chain and who all in town is in on it? Will the team be able to work together, despite Kenzie & most of the guys not wanting to team up? Can the guys come to grips with Kenzie being the highly skilled Phantom, and that she’s not just what they knew of her real-life cover story as the director’s daughter (and a surprising heritage from her mother’s side of the family.)? Will Kenzie’s cover be blown before her first team mission ends?
I highly recommended checking out this contemporary spy reverse harem romance. It ends with a cliffhanger that will leave you anticipating book 2 coming later this year! While you wait, be sure to check out Lexie Winston’s other series. You won’t be disappointed.
I highly recommended checking out this contemporary spy reverse harem romance. It ends with a cliffhanger that will leave you anticipating book 2 coming later this year! While you wait, be sure to check out Lexie Winston’s other series. You won’t be disappointed.
July 19, 2025
wow … this book has it all … I’m not sure that’s a good thing
This book has so much going on!! Legit SO MUCH!! First, assassins. Which sounds fun and promising and the characters are all quintessential Lexie Winston creations. I loved the setup at the beginning with the introduction to Kenzie/Mac & MITHOS. I liked meeting part of Team Basilisk. Kenzie’s family is so fun and I wish we got more about them!!
My issues with the story arose when we learned they were going undercover in a high school… ok? Early twenty something’s in a high school, what could go wrong … and then suddenly they’re going undercover for a s€x trafficking ring… HOLD THE PHONE … had I known this is where it was going I wouldn’t have even started it. There was no content warning, and that was disappointing because I liked everyone and the story and suddenly TRAFFICKING!!! Come on.
I’ve enjoyed meeting more about the Team… I hope that the current kids at the halfway house are ok, and that everyone else bad in this town is detained and *insert creative ending for bad people here*.
Glad that ___________ was taken care of … but boy did this take a turn!!
I wish in book 2, we could wrap up the mission quickly, save the kids, n*ke the town and call it a day. But I free we’re not gonna get to see enough of the other ghosts and Princess Kensington.
This book has so much going on!! Legit SO MUCH!! First, assassins. Which sounds fun and promising and the characters are all quintessential Lexie Winston creations. I loved the setup at the beginning with the introduction to Kenzie/Mac & MITHOS. I liked meeting part of Team Basilisk. Kenzie’s family is so fun and I wish we got more about them!!
My issues with the story arose when we learned they were going undercover in a high school… ok? Early twenty something’s in a high school, what could go wrong … and then suddenly they’re going undercover for a s€x trafficking ring… HOLD THE PHONE … had I known this is where it was going I wouldn’t have even started it. There was no content warning, and that was disappointing because I liked everyone and the story and suddenly TRAFFICKING!!! Come on.
I’ve enjoyed meeting more about the Team… I hope that the current kids at the halfway house are ok, and that everyone else bad in this town is detained and *insert creative ending for bad people here*.
Glad that ___________ was taken care of … but boy did this take a turn!!
I wish in book 2, we could wrap up the mission quickly, save the kids, n*ke the town and call it a day. But I free we’re not gonna get to see enough of the other ghosts and Princess Kensington.
March 9, 2023
Holy Schnikes, Where is the Book 2 preorder
I absolutely loved Kenzie and Team B. I didn't think Lexus could top Neighpalm but this is Spy Girl with a potential team and reverse harem that's pretty much already met the parents. One grump, one jerk, Daddy Dom possibly x2, a Dr. Spencer Reed tech wizard, a potential crossed sword sandwich, hidden talents, and maybe the ghost solo agent gets some backup going forward. I was ready to one-click book 2, but respect the other wanting to finish up other existing storylines, but I'm hoping everyone loves this book as much as I did and that the cliffhanger ending, which was almost Tate James level, doesn't make me reread incessantly and beg in the ready group to ignore the circus and make your muse focus on Mithos, because Book 2 even with no way to officially add to my TBR now resides in my most wanted next release in an ongoing series, sorry Witsec.
If you like Ever and Jynx, bada$$ female leads, with the sweetness of That girl, this book hit notes of many of my favorites across multiple genres while pretty much putting the impossible in #WhyChoose.
I absolutely loved Kenzie and Team B. I didn't think Lexus could top Neighpalm but this is Spy Girl with a potential team and reverse harem that's pretty much already met the parents. One grump, one jerk, Daddy Dom possibly x2, a Dr. Spencer Reed tech wizard, a potential crossed sword sandwich, hidden talents, and maybe the ghost solo agent gets some backup going forward. I was ready to one-click book 2, but respect the other wanting to finish up other existing storylines, but I'm hoping everyone loves this book as much as I did and that the cliffhanger ending, which was almost Tate James level, doesn't make me reread incessantly and beg in the ready group to ignore the circus and make your muse focus on Mithos, because Book 2 even with no way to officially add to my TBR now resides in my most wanted next release in an ongoing series, sorry Witsec.
If you like Ever and Jynx, bada$$ female leads, with the sweetness of That girl, this book hit notes of many of my favorites across multiple genres while pretty much putting the impossible in #WhyChoose.
March 14, 2023
This book was fantastic! I love spies and secret organizations. I loved the intrigue of the case the characters were working.
The FMC, Kenzie, is an independent agent who has no problem doing anything necessary to complete the job.
The guys, Team Basilisk, have been together for a while and don't want a new member.
I loved seeing them all get to know each other and work together on this case. Since they are undercover, you also get some high school bully romance, seeming age-gap, and murder mystery all in one.
I won't spoil who the team members are because it was fun seeing who was acting in what capacity and trying to figure out who the last two team members were. The guys were a great mix with some alpha guys, laid back guy, nerdy guy, broody guy, etc.
I loved Kenzie's confidence in herself and her skills. She felt real in how she didn't know how to work with others and trust them to have her back. She is blunt and quick to violence while also have a soft side where she's really close with her parents.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I absolutely need to know where they go from here.
The FMC, Kenzie, is an independent agent who has no problem doing anything necessary to complete the job.
The guys, Team Basilisk, have been together for a while and don't want a new member.
I loved seeing them all get to know each other and work together on this case. Since they are undercover, you also get some high school bully romance, seeming age-gap, and murder mystery all in one.
I won't spoil who the team members are because it was fun seeing who was acting in what capacity and trying to figure out who the last two team members were. The guys were a great mix with some alpha guys, laid back guy, nerdy guy, broody guy, etc.
I loved Kenzie's confidence in herself and her skills. She felt real in how she didn't know how to work with others and trust them to have her back. She is blunt and quick to violence while also have a soft side where she's really close with her parents.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I absolutely need to know where they go from here.
March 8, 2023
Spies Like Me
This book starts off with a bang…and definitively keeps the momentum up the entire journey. Meet Kenzie, she is really high up in the M.I.T.H.O.S organization and is considered a ghost operative. Very few people inside the entire worldwide organization know of her true identity and she has always worked alone out in the field…but thing they are a’changing! 🤣
Her father happens to be the head of the division and he is determined to get Kenzie to become part of a team…they have a yearly bet that Kenzie has successfully managed to win…but Kenzie has never met or dealt with a team like Team Basilisk.
If you enjoy a funny, strong, determined and ☠️ly FMC, one who can disarm with a smile or with a kick upside your head…🤣 then this is the book for you.
Join Kenzie and a Team who is determined to be done with her after this first mission, as they join skill sets to try and bring down an organization that is preying on foster children. This is one book you don’t want to miss!
This book starts off with a bang…and definitively keeps the momentum up the entire journey. Meet Kenzie, she is really high up in the M.I.T.H.O.S organization and is considered a ghost operative. Very few people inside the entire worldwide organization know of her true identity and she has always worked alone out in the field…but thing they are a’changing! 🤣
Her father happens to be the head of the division and he is determined to get Kenzie to become part of a team…they have a yearly bet that Kenzie has successfully managed to win…but Kenzie has never met or dealt with a team like Team Basilisk.
If you enjoy a funny, strong, determined and ☠️ly FMC, one who can disarm with a smile or with a kick upside your head…🤣 then this is the book for you.
Join Kenzie and a Team who is determined to be done with her after this first mission, as they join skill sets to try and bring down an organization that is preying on foster children. This is one book you don’t want to miss!
March 11, 2023
This was an amazing start to fun, badass new series. Kenzie is a solo operative for the MITHOS spy organization. It's a family run operation and she has an ongoing deal with her dad, the director. If a team can get the best of her and capture her on a training assignment then she has to join their team and leave her solo status behind.
When a dirty play gets her capture she's suddenly on a new team, that she's never heard of before, has a weird bond with her parents and is full of good looking men who tempt her in a way she hasn't encountered before. She would fight harder against this team except the mission is to discover the pipeline to a sex trafficking ring with foster teens being the targets.
This was a great first entry into this new and exciting series. This book introduced us to all these new characters and laid down the groundwork for this new team. I can't wait to read the next installment - I am just as into the mystery of who is taking these foster kids as I am into the romance that is building between this new team!
When a dirty play gets her capture she's suddenly on a new team, that she's never heard of before, has a weird bond with her parents and is full of good looking men who tempt her in a way she hasn't encountered before. She would fight harder against this team except the mission is to discover the pipeline to a sex trafficking ring with foster teens being the targets.
This was a great first entry into this new and exciting series. This book introduced us to all these new characters and laid down the groundwork for this new team. I can't wait to read the next installment - I am just as into the mystery of who is taking these foster kids as I am into the romance that is building between this new team!
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