3.5 out of 5 stars for me.

I was so excited to get an early copy of this novel written by a former CIA officer. Set in the future when we've basically run out of petroleum, the book focuses on a new world wide agency called ,The Syndicate, who are tasked with fighting the war on energy. There are wonderful women characters, that in traditional spy books would have been men. There are several good plot twists and some romance.

I rated it down because I thought a lot of the dialogue was cliche/phoney sounding and had to skim those parts. That being said, I will be watching for Brittany Butler’s next book as I am always up for a good spy novel.

This is a well-told, exciting spy thriller. Finally, two female leads who are badass and believable. Juliet and Miriam are tough and smart. I trusted that they knew what they were doing. There were twists in the book I didn't expect, but I felt they were plausible. The future world the author creates is scary but very realistic. It's like Jason Bourne meets Killing Eve as far as action and intrigue. Juliet isn't Wonder Woman. She gets hurt, she gets heartbroken, but she keeps fighting for what she believes. Thank you NetGalley, Brittany Butler, and Greenleaf Book Group Press for the arc.

I was first exposed to Brittany Butler’s The Syndicate Spy on Instagram and I am beyond excited that I was able to read an early copy.

The story began with character history and explanations, which was necessary to understand their back story and connection. After the first few chapters I was hooked and completed the book in less than a day. The story follows Juliet and Miriam on their journey to stop a war with many turns and twists. The ending was very unexpected, but I loved it!

I cannot wait to read the next adventure and check in on Juliet’s love story!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for my review.

⭐⭐⭐.5/5-- It takes a lot for me to be surprised by the ending of a book – and this one really had me!!! I could only think at the end of this one… ‘Well damn.” 😂😂 (**pardon my French!!**)

A SHORT PREVIEW:
Juliet Arroway is a spy for the futuristic world's most renowned intelligence agencies: the Syndicate, who makes it their mission to combat modern terrorism. Her mission? Help end the energy war ravaging the globe as the race for alternative energy comes to a head amongst groups that have warred for centuries. What she never expects to find? Personal betrayals and a sharp look at what morality really means behind the curtain of political maneuverings.

THOUGHTS:
- What I loved most about this book was the morally grey ending. So many of the ‘spy thrillers' on TV conclude with what many consider a ‘justified’ ending. Obviously, everyone’s ideas of justice varies across the morality spectrum, but I feel like the ending to this book was a more accurate representation of real-life events. Geopolitical maneuverings will hardly ever bring out warm and fuzzy emotions, and I love that Butler didn’t shy away from giving us an ending that wasn’t sunshine and rainbows.

- Women’s rights in the Middle East are a driving theme throughout ‘The Syndicate Spy’. As this book was written by Brittany Butler, a self-proclaimed former intelligence officer, some of what’s written is hard to read but also not surprising in the way the book ends up. Feminism in the Middle East is a touchy subject at best, and I think this novel fairly highlights the good and bad of the region.
- Much of the literature written by white Anglo-Americans about the Middle East tends to be pretty biased. I think this is one of the better non-biased books I’ve read! The Syndicate Spy also furthered my knowledge of Muslim beliefs and cultural things in this region that I didn’t know – which I always appreciate in books. Too many spy thrillers gloss over cultural things that would make their stories more complete!

THE ONLY THING(s) I DIDN'T LIKE:
As a person who's normally objective and unemotional about most things, there were two things about this book that bugged me in the context of a spy-novel:
- #1 There's a scene where terrorist activity took place (and they had advanced warning it was coming), and they hadn't checked underneath all cars beforehand. This would never actually have occurred, especially not in a more developed nation.

--- #2: There are a couple of moments where the FMC gets emotional whilst in a precarious situation... but.. IN WHAT WORLD WOULD A HIGHLY TRAINED INTELLIGENCE OFFICER ACT A FOOL LIKE THAT? Overall Juliet's character was a smart, hardworking gal, and I loved that. However, if someone cannot keep their cool under pressure... that seems like a poor choice of recruit for the intelligence community? Hard choices and pragmaticism are the names of the game in preventing terrorism, geopolitical struggles, etc. Emotional breakdowns when a situation is obviously lost, and you need to get away when there are more important/bigger picture things on the line seem like a no-brainer to me? Being raised by someone in the intelligence world myself, perhaps I think a little too pragmatically? Who knows. **insert laugh whilst pouring myself a glass of wine this busy Friday...* If I had been one of Juliet's comrades, though? I'd have wanted to push her out of the chopper a time or two lol

NOTES:
- 🌶🌶/5 - A few open door s3xual situations.
- A feminist read in a way I whole-heartedly didn’t expect.
- TWs: I could see this book being hard to read if events like 9/11 etc have personally impacted you. Terrorism & genocide are topics hard to read about in general as well.

**I received this book for free as an advanced reader copy, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

The Syndicate Spy is a compelling, not-to-distant future, political thriller. The main character, Juiet, works for the Syndicate, a conglomerate that works to protect the world's energy sources as the world's oil supplies have been depleted. She works closely with her best friend, Miriam (a Saudi Princess), to uncover a terrorist ring threating to destroy the tenuous peace and bring war once again to the world.

While I loved the strong female main characters and the BIG twist at the end (which I did not see coming!), I thought that the novel lacked the explanation and background to make the reader really understand who the Syndicate is and what brought the world to this point. The reader is dropped in the middle of a raid on a possible terrorist hideout, but you never really get the whole picture of how the world got into the energy war.

The plot is intriguing enough to make me want to read the next installment, which hopefully will give more backstory.

There are two "adult" scenes, that I feel could have been left out and nothing would have been lost from the storyline. You can build intimacy between characters without graphic sexual content.

Brittany Butler is a first time author for me, and after reading her biography I was interested to see how she'd interweave her own experiences into the story. The story itself was a good read. Fast paced, straight to the point, and filled with spy action. If you enjoy reading about government, international espionage, CIA, and all those type of clandestine spy stories then you'll enjoy The Syndicate Spy.

The story focuses mainly on main character Juliet Arroway, an international agent working for a secret agency that may or may not be sanctioned by the US government. Known as " a conglomerate of allied intelligence agencies charged with hunting energy terrorists", Juliet is a top agent working to bring down foreign terrorists who have hijacked a new and clean energy source that the world needs. Set somewhat in the future, we're told that the environment is depleting and the energy crisis has nations across the world fighting for a cleaner and less expensive resource. You're taken immediately to the Middle East where Juliet and her "asset" Mariam al-Saud are tracking an elusive enemy who is trying to steal the renewable clean energy source that the United States have tried to secure. From the first pages, you're taken immediately into the action and you get a sense of the type of spy Juliet is.

What I liked about The Syndicate Spy was that there were no soft peddling around the topic of terrorists, environmental disasters, international spies, and even women's rights. The story did feel like you're watching a TV series or even a TV movie. Juliet is a likeable character with her own flaws and demons and the writer didn't try too hard to make you like Juliet or hate her. Many things happen throughout the story which keeps you on the edge of your seat. There were a couple of instances where some things didn't match up to a previous incidence but they didn't detract me from reading further.

There aren't a lot of characters in this story which was also a relief. There was Juliet, the MC, Mariam, David, and Graham - who later becomes a love interest. Interspersed throughout the story you get to meet Juliet's fiance and a few other minor characters. I won't go into too much details about all the characters as it will become spoilers, but know that all the characters in this story play a part that weaves well into the central plot.

While there were subtle hints and thoughts about women's rights in the Middle East and even as a whole concept, it wasn't the central focus until the very end. That I thought was a bit off-putting as I think the author was trying to bring something to light, but it felt rushed in a way.

Overall, The Syndicate Spy did seem like your typical spy type of action thriller. But you throw in some strong and convincing characters and a few twists in the end, and you get a well written story with a great central plot.

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this thrilling story.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I had a hard time at first getting into this book, but as it went on it got better. Her writing was good in some spots and then fail in others, especially with relationships. I saw potential in the book but for me it fell short.

So good! I was completely on the edge of my seat the whole time. There was a bit of an info dump in the beginning, but it’s necessary for setting up the story and I promise it picks up. The story line is exciting and thrilling, made even better by the fact it is written by a former CIA officer. I love the strong female leads, Miriam is a great side character. The twists and turns at the end were fantastic. Such a great story and I can’t wait to read more! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

I was very intrigued by the description of this book and even more excited when I found out the author was an ex-CIA agent.

The book started off nicely and held my attention but then it seemed like things picked up at an extremely rapid pace and there was A LOT going on. At times it just wasn’t realistic to me and I know it takes place in the future but even still I just couldn’t imagine some of the events happening the way they did.

There are definitely some good points and highlights in the book but not enough for me to honestly be able to rank it higher. For someone looking for a fast paced, spy fiction and with more of an imagination than me, maybe this is just the book for you!


*Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There is much that is good about the author’s first foray into published fiction but the overall effort falls short. There is some elegantly written prose in the book. Ironically, some of the best is in connection with the story’s darkest moments. The main character, Syndicate spy agent Juliet Arroway, is well developed and very likable. The other characters—even Graham, Juliet’s partner through most of the book—are a bit more one dimensional.

The story is set at a future time when petroleum based energy sources have dried up. What little remaining has been locked down by Saudi oligarchs and is unavailable to the rest of the world. The race to find and develop alternate forms of energy has led the world to the brink of the Energy War between the western world and a terrorist group al-Alfitah and its leader Abu Hassan whom nobody has seen. In the center of it all, of course, is Saudi King Ibn al-Saud who seems extremely “un-Saudi like” by today’s standards. Under King Ibn al-Saud is fairly liberal and pro-western. His daughter, Mariam is even a Syndicate agent.

My biggest complaint about the book is the failure in “world creation”. The reader is left in limbo between the unidentified future world and today’s world as the book progresses with only one brief reference to anything not known in our own world: a hologram computer. We are told that petroleum based energy is in extremely short supply, but there is no explanation for how the countless cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters and even military tanks are fueled.

It also stretched credulity the number of times surrounded by enemy combatants who were armed with machine guns while Juliet and her partner only had a pistol to work with. Once I can deal with, but for it to happen over and over again pushed me beyond belief.

Finally, I did not like the ending of the story—the last couple chapters and the twists revealed at the end. I just did not buy it at all. It seemed totally out of character for the people introduced at the beginning of the novel. I know Alice told the Red Queen that “sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast” but the author has pushed beyond that limit.

Having said all that, I am grateful that NetGalley allowed me the opportunity to read and review this book, and I look forward to the author’s future books.

Excitement, suspense, twists and turns keep you turning pages. The realism in the story is amazing and you could picture this happening in real life.

The Syndicate Spy was an enjoyable read, it had all the action, adventure and suspense with enough romance to not feel like it took away from plot.

The world building was great, the characters had depth and the author did an exceptional job explaining all the intelligence background, the politics, foreign government, and what it's like fighting an energy war in the Middle East with the help of other agencies.

All the twists came together, the natural progression of Juliet and Graham's relationship amongst all the events was believable and I loved them together, how he supported her decisions and saw her as more than his equal.

My only complaint would be the pacing, sometimes it felt slow and then the action would pick off jumping from place to place which was hard to follow along. I kept having to reread passages to see what exactly happened in those moments. Also, some conflicts started to seem a bit over the top.

I did really love Juliet and Graham's characters, I would read more of their story.

Thank you Netgalley, Brittany Butler and Greenleaf Book Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book offers insights into the U.S. agencies and foreign government intelligence agencies working together to solve the global energy war in the Middle East. Many were spies from home countries striving to help solve the oil shortage and the need for alternative fuels. I enjoyed Juliet and her relationship with Graham, the not so nice FBI agent. The author showed us female operatives are just as capable as male operatives. The author, Brittany Butler, has served in the CIA and shares her knowledge of the insider operations of the agencies and the politics and intrigue present everyday. The book was a little slow in places.

Outstanding world building. Intense drama with a lot of depth to it. When it first started, I wasn't even sure whether or not I was going to like it. Truth to be told, it grew on me. But it did take a while, maybe because of all of the political information. Yes, I know it was an important part of foundation in the story. But it really kicked in for me when it got deeper into the people in the story. We knew that Juliet's boyfriend, Jean-Marc was going to be killed but the author kept things edge of the seat. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop when it came to how that was going to happen.
I liked how Graham called Juliet "muharib" which meant warrior and that after a while it became an endearment. I also enjoyed the sparks that flew off of them when they first met and the following mistrust sparks that continued. It was Warrior meeting Warrior.
What a great main character Juliet turned out to be. Couldn't help rooting a her. And her best friend and co-worker spy Mariam was one tough, smart addition to the story.
Hang on to your seat belt because there will be some amazing surprises before the story ends. Well done.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

**3 stars**
The premise of this book is really promising: girl power, a futuristic almost dystopian world, action, romance, high stakes.

And this book does deliver on all of these things, which is why I rated it as high as I did. The romance was believable. I was on the edge of my seat for pretty much every action sequence and plot twist. The world building was interesting. The female friendship at the center was powerful.

But the pacing of this book was just too...much. Things were back and forth throughout the entire book. Every single interaction or plot point had a will-they-or-won't-they type of vibe, if that even makes sense. Will they make it out alive? Will they get together? Is so and so really the bad guy? Can we trust so and so? Is so and so actually dead? These questions aren't a bad thing--it's the fact that every. single. scene was like this. Every scene has the characters acting one way one moment and another way another moment,

Another thing that put me off with this story was the world-building. I felt like I was supposed to understand a lot more right off the bat than I did. Names, places, ideologies, etc were thrown around without much explanation, and it felt like this happened throughout the whole book. Maybe I'm dumb, or maybe the author just assumed readers would know more off the cuff than they actually do.

The final thing that put me off with this story was the characters. A lot of them (okay, maybe all of them) had very basic and usually noble motivations. Yeah, they want to save the world, which is great and a great reason for most of the plot. However, this feels like every character's ONLY personality trait. They felt really two dimensional without a lot of development. But they WERE still interesting and it was easy to root for them--I mean, who doesn't want to root for saving the world and ending a terrible war?

All of that being said, this was still an enjoyable read. There are twists galore, tons of action, and a really good romance. I definitely recommend giving it a chance, especially if you like action, spy thrillers, or romantic suspense/ romantic thrillers.

I was very eager and interested to read The Syndicate Spy but in the end, I just really didn't enjoy the book. I didn't think the characters and their backstories were very well-developed although Juliet, the Syndicate Spy, and Graham, FBI agent, were quite likeable. In addition, the action jumped from place to place, events would occur seemingly out of the blue and the writing didn't flow in a cohesive manner. The premise of the world in chaos over energy was quite intriguing and I would have liked to have seen more about how this state of the world came about.

There are many readers who apparently found the book to be very much to their liking but I'm afraid I'm in the minority. However, I really do thank Greenleaf Book Group Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Danger and non-stop action throughout! If my heart wasn't pounding it was being wrenched. Great spy story with likeable characters.

Do you think you’d cut it as a spy?

Oh heck no! I tell my husband so much. I think it takes a special talent to be able to compartmentalize this way, and its not a gift I have.

In the future the earths oil reserves are depleted, and nations are racing against terrorists to control alternative energy sources. Enter the Syndicate, an agency determined to put an end to the global energy war. Juliet is a Syndicate spy, and it is her mission to put an end to the war. Will Juliet be able to accomplish this despite numerous setbacks? Or will they be her undoing?

When I saw this spy novel written by a former CIA female operative, I was intrigued and needed to read it! There are not many female spy authors, and even fewer are former spies themselves! This was a fantastic debut novel, and it was apparent from the start that the author intimately knew the industry. I appreciated the drama interwoven into the story as well. I found the tidbits about dating while serving in this type of job quite fascinating! It was little things like this, that added to the authenticity of the book.

I absolutely loved the strong and amazing female main character. She was so fierce, yet relatable. I found her likable and easy to root for. When things went sideways for her I was shook, and was so happy when she worked things out.

If you’re looking for the female version of Jack Reacher, then look no further than the Syndicate Spy – out March 21st!

Thank you to the publisher, Greenleaf Book Group Press, the author, @formerspy1, and @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank Netgalley and Greenleaf publishing for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me, and I did not end up finishing it. I don't like to give star ratings to books I don't finish because it isn't entirely fair. I chose to give this one 3 stars. Although the book wasn't for me personally, I recognize that other people will likely enjoy it.

This was a futuristic spy novel with Juliet and Mariam as the main characters. It takes place in the not-so-distant future where all of the world's oil reserves have been depleted. The work for the Syndicate, which is a group of allied intelligence agencies, attempting to keep peace during terrorist attacks.

Overall, I think I would enjoy this as a movie or possibly an audiobook, because the story held my attention. There was something about the writing that didn't keep me engaged. I can't put my finger on it, because there was nothing wrong with the writing per se, I just kept having to reread passages to fully ingest what it was saying, and it was becoming too difficult to follow the story.

I think my biggest issue was the word "syndicate" seemed to be repeated multiple times on every page, and that got to be distracting as well.

I would have rated this book with 5 stars instead of 4.5 stars, but the lack of a really good description of the Syndicate and how it interacts with worldwide intelligence organizations made the story a bit weak. That explanation would have made a stronger backstory for the reader. I loved the character of Juliet Arroway and I am looking forward to future books. I received an ARC from Net Galley and the opinions expressed are my own.