Pyrotechnical engineer Andee and CIA strategist Chan are kidnapped by her estranged arms-dealer bio-dad and held in his unground lair, and they have to try to free themselves while also foiling his plot to aerosolize a biological weapon. It will appeal to fans of fake dating and forced proximity romances, and the spycraft is undeniably fun. The representation of a main character with hearing loss was a plus. This is book two of a series, but stands alone. I will recommend to fans of Sarah Adams and Emily Henry.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for Digital Review Copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and PRH Audio for the ARC/ALC.

if you enjoy movies such as Get Smart, and Mr. and Mrs Smith, I would definitely recommend this book.

I enjoyed the sexy and smart chemistry between Andee and Adam, and you will be rooting for them the whole book for sure!

As far as the audiobook, I thought Alex Finke did a fantastic job with the narration. While I enjoyed the single person POV of the book, I do kind of wish we had gotten to hear things from Adam's point of view as well. However, this is simply my opinion and I think the story is still enjoyable with a single character point of view.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend this to one anyone who loves action films mixed with romance!

I'm enjoying what Tiana Smith is doing with her My Spy books. This combined the high stakes and connection that I love in romantic suspense with some over the top situations and a bit more humor. Charming characters with interesting and well developed back stories.

I just finished the second book in this series, and unfortunately, it left me with mixed feelings—pretty much on par with my experience with book one. I think I’m just not the type of reader who enjoys a slow-burn story. The beginning had promise; it was intriguing, and I thought it might even be better than the first book. But the middle 60% of the book felt painfully slow and hard to get through.

The buildup of Andee and Chan’s relationship was something I was looking forward to, and while the romantic tension was enjoyable, it felt like nothing significant was happening for a long stretch. There’s a discovery about the lab, but other than that, the plot was stagnant, with very little action.

The last part of the book, though, is where things picked up. The action in the end saved it from being a two-star read and pushed it up to three stars for me. The escape sequence was genuinely exciting and reminded me of the potential this story has when it leans into the action.

I also would have loved to see more of Mila’s story and her journey to culinary school. We got the basics, but it felt like there was a lot more to explore with her character. On a positive note, I appreciated Chan’s character, especially seeing a character with a disability in a spy novel—it was refreshing and well-handled.

Overall, the concept behind the book is solid, and there’s so much potential. I just wish the pacing had been tighter, with more engagement in the middle to keep the momentum going.

I've been in a ginormous reading slump lately so I really just couldn't get into this one. Nothing against the book, it just didn't have that spark that made me want to continue reading.

Mr. Nice Spy started out strong and imaginative. An explosives expert and a CIA spy--loved the premise. The meet cute was original as well. Unique characters, great storyline. I was charmed. However, after they're captured, it was all downhill from there. The male lead's abilities had to be lessened to increase the capabilities and stature of the female protagonist. I cannot fathom the choice because they started out both as strong individuals, and they could've played off each other's strengths. Even given the choices the author made, the story kept making turns inorganic to the characters. The end was rushed and, again, felt orchestrated. The author's previous book was well-received, so these basic writerly missteps were a disappointment.

This was so much fun! The story is a little far fetched, but I don't think it would have been as much fun if it were real. This is not a sexy romance. There is romance, but no sex. Oddly, that worked for me. Its not my typical pick, but the story was just so good. The pace was good and the action is intense. Great read!

Adam Chan was a sexy side character in the Spy and I, and oh do I love him being the romantic lead in this one. He's delicious.

Andee is a chemical engineer who makes fireworks, and finds out after running a DNA test that her father is an evil international arms dealer. This discovery sets off a wild chain of events that starts with her kidnapping, Chan accidentally being taken with her and the two of them having to fake a relationship while being trapped her evil father's underground bunker, and then trying to figure out how to escape.

The forced proximity and fake relationship trope works so well here, and I like both characters a lot. Very cute. This is such an enjoyable series, I hope it continues!

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Mr. Nice Spy (My Spy, Book 2) by Tiana Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 368 / Genre: Romcom
Release Date: November 5, 2024

Andee is a brilliant but under-appreciated fireworks designer, who’s been bullied by her co-workers over her claim that her father is a famous actor, which is what her mother raised her to believe. That is, until she’s suddenly kidnapped by a dangerous arms dealer, who really is her father. Luckily though a hot, flirty CIA operative she just happened to meet is more than willing to pose as her fake boyfriend to keep her safe. But can they survive their captivity, escape, and catch the bad guy once and for all—all while falling for each other for real?

I’m a sucker for spy-themed romcoms and this one has it all—fake dating, one bed, forced proximity, he fell first, mafia dad… Although this is the second book in the series, you can definitely read it as a standalone since the first book focused on totally different characters and how they met. I hope there’s more coming to this series!

Thank you, @TianaSmithBooks, @BerkleyPub, and @NetGalley for my gifted copy.

I fully understood everything that was going on without reading book one, though after reading this one I want to go back and read the first because this one was so good! I adored the writing. It was light and fun

Andee Paxton is a fireworks designer, and her biological father is actually the prison escapee Holt, a dangerous arms dealer. The CIA informs her of this as they tell her that they want her as bait to recapture him, since he's searching for her. She and Officer Adam Chan were captured together, so now they're putting on a fake relationship to stay together. Holt has a deadly plan they hope to stop.

This is the second spy rom-com in the "My Spy" series, but it's an independent one. Andee grew up thinking her father was a movie star and did a DNA database to prove it when coworkers teased her about that one time too many. Unfortunately, Holt had access to all major databases and tracked her down before she even knew the truth. The CIA was trying to get her to work with them, but Holt was a step ahead of them and kidnapped both Andee and Officer Chan. The two both know sign language: Andee learned it when the movie star was learning it for a movie, and Chan is hard of hearing after an explosion. This gives them the means to communicate when they're locked in the French catacombs and Andee is forced to work for Holt. From there it's a matter of time, as well as life or death to try to stall Holt's bid at bioterrorism and try to escape the catacombs to get back to the CIA. In the meantime, the fake relationship keeps them together and becomes very, very real.

I really enjoyed both the action and the romance aspects of this novel. Andee isn't an action heroine in the classical sense, in that she doesn't feel comfortable with weapons or hand-to-hand combat. She's frightened and out of her depth, and Chan keeps her grounded. He's dismissed due to his hearing loss and role of boyfriend, but keeps careful watch over everything. He trusts Andee's instincts, and the two manage to maneuver through Holt's people to get a happily ever after and save the day. It's a really fun book with a great hero and heroine to root for.

““We’ll get out of here soon. And when we do, I’m going to make you laugh every day.” If only that could be true. “Promise?” I asked, holding out my pinky. This made him laugh, and he took my finger with his, shaking our hands together. “Promise.” He let go, and my pinky burned where our skin had touched. It was a feeling I wished I could bottle up and keep forever.”



ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

What a refreshing funny spy rom-com this book was. Is my first book from this author and I was eager to read a spy/espionage book so to receive this arc was fantastic.

Andee is a sweetheart and her life gets turned upside down in the worst way possible but this also leads her to meet Chan who is fantastic and so talented and adorable. The perfect person to be trapped in this craziness. But also the perfect person for her because he saw her in a moment she felt so invisible and alone.

I also adored our secondary characters, Agent Mendez and Mila, I hope to see them again in a new book (and a special french agent too iykyk)


I'll leave my favorite quote below, so beware of possible spoilers


““Have I ever told you that you have the perfect laugh?”He shuffled the cards, watching me from behind his lashes. I shook my head and self-consciously tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I hear some people’s voices better than others,”he explained. “Like men’s voices can be too low for me to easily pick up their pitch, so I have to concentrate more and watch their lips while they speak. Or the range of some women’s voices can be so high that they sound tinny or robotic on my hearing aids. But your voice is right in that sweet spot that makes it easy for me to hear.”He smiled. “I like the sound of your voice.”Warmth bloomed through my chest. It was such an unusual compliment—so I already wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Then Chan took things one step further. “But I love the sound of your laugh more than anything.”He set the deck of cards aside, and my mouth went dry. His grin was lopsided, pulling up on one corner as he took in my thunderstruck expression. There weren’t many times in my life when I could say it, but I was speechless.”

Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith is an adventure rom-com filled with action, funny moments, and romance in a closed door setting. Andee Paxton is a fireworks designer who does not know who who her biological father is until the CIA comes to tell her. Her biological father, Holt, is an international arms dealer who has escaped prison and is looking for her! Officer Adam Chan is talking to her until they are captured and their adventure begins.

This was a very fun book. It was filled with adventure that kept me on my toes. The story is told from Andee’s point of view and hearing her side of the story kept me laughing. I enjoyed the romance, chemistry and the banter between Andee and Chan. The story kept me on my toes right up until the end.

Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith is a fantastic story filled with romance, humor and great adventure. I highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

🕵🏻‍♂️ Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith 🕵🏻‍♂️

Andee Paxton spent her entire life believing that a famous movie star was her father. When she does a DNA test that definitely proves he ISN’T but an international crime boss IS, her whole life is turned upside down. The CIA wants to use Andee as bait to catch her dad but before they can put a plan in action Andee is kidnapped alongside CIA Officer Adam Chan. Andee and Chan agree to fake date for their own protection and team up to stop her dad before everything blows up.

Mr. Nice Spy is book two in the My Spy series, following Mr. Nice Spy. Adam is introduced in that one and Mendez and Dove pop in here. You could definitely still enjoy this one without reading that one first, but I’d recommend it for the optimal experience.

I really loved this one! Chan is down bad for Andee and also incredibly crafty and good at his job. Phew. I also really appreciated the hearing loss representation, and it’s even more special knowing it was based on the author’s real life husband. I love that he’s getting to see himself in a romance hero who is also a badass spy!

The suspense plot was so well done! It was a wild ride that kept me guessing. The bad guys were especially bad, making it easy to really root against them. Overall this was just a really fun read!

Thank you Tiana Smith and Berkley Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This story follows Andee Paxton a fireworks designer who's a little too good at her job making her no friends in any of her coworkers. She soon gets a wild surprise when she decides to figure out who her dad is. Little does she know that by submitting her DNA she has triggered a whole chain events that soon leave her and Officer Chan kidnapped by a wanted criminal Holt who also happens to be her father. She must fake a relationship with Officer Chan to keep from blowing his cover as a CIA officer. All while trying to get information and hopefully take Holt down for good.

This story has my heart. I absolutely adore Andee and Adam. I thought the plot for this story was so clever. I enjoyed getting to know Officer Adam Chan more through this story. I also thought that the representation of deaf or hard of hearing was beautiful. I loved how sign language was incorporated and was part of their connection. I thought that there will tiny moments where it was a bit slow. However, I still really liked most of it. I was easily able to power through the slowish parts.

Content: swearing, innuendo, closed door

Read if you like:
Adventure
Spies
Romance
Chemistry (tiny bit of spice)
Fake Romance

I loved the first one! When the opportunity to read for the second one became a thing, I jumped on it. Just like the first one we are taken on an adventure that most of us have always to wanted to do, become a spy and live out that fantasy. But add in a fake relationship and firecracker herself Andee is in for a ride. Oh did I mention that daddy dearest who has been out of the picture is searching for his daughter after he escaped prison? What a ride!! Chan and Andee had to learn to trust each other before a whole new explosion occurs.

I'm excited to see the series continue, because I want more of this world!!

I’m happy to say I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than the first book in this series, which was expected because Chan was one of my favorite parts of The Spy and I.

The highlight of this book is the romance between Chan and Andee. They had such wonderful chemistry from the start, and I loved watching their romance develop under the guise of their fake relationship. Chan and Andee’s abduction brought the right amount of intensity, and the author did a good job of not making their time spent in captivity repetitive.

(I also simply adore Chan)

I really liked the idea of Andee being a pyrotechnic engineer. It’s not something I’ve seen much, and I honestly wish she got to use her skills more. At the same time, my issues with the first book are similar in this book. Andee’s narration sometimes had too much sarcastic humor for my tastes, which only really became noticeable by the end.

Despite that, this was still an enjoyable spy romance that I would recommend. It’s fast-paced, filled with action, and has an adorable love story to back it up.

What a fun rom-com/spy novel! Tiana Smith has a very easy style of writing that made this story a joy to read. Lots of action, great dialogue, and a few scary bits for conflict made for a complete escape from reality and an enjoyable weekend of reading. I haven’t read the first novel in this series but I’ve found it at the library and have it on my TBR.

Besides the great action series, Andee and Chan were both really interesting characters and their immediate chemistry gave the romance some heat. Andee is one of those smart heroine’s that I love to read about- go STEM romance leads! her degree in chemical engineering makes her a great sidekick for a spy. She didn’t let her emotions get the better of her and was doing her part to find a way out. Chan, too, was an interesting guy. Yes, he was a CIA analyst, but he is also hearing impaired. I liked how his “weakness” became a strength in the story. The fact that the descriptions of him as well as Andee’s immediate attraction made him eye candy for my imagination didn’t hurt either. Really, this story was just 100% enjoyable and I can’t recommend it enough.

Andee is a pyrotechnic engineer who works as a fireworks designer. She is feeling particularly down one night, because she found out that her father is not a superstar like her mom told her all these years. She feels better when she meets a handsome man in a bar, Chan, and they exchange numbers before parting way. She didn't know she'd see him again so fast: when she gets home, the CIA is waiting for her with a warrant and a plan to use her as bait to catch her real father - and Chan is one of the CIA officers. But before they can set up the plan, Andree and Chan are abducted...
This suspenseful fake dating romance is book 2 in the My Spy series, although you don't have to read book 1 to read this one (I hadn't and it was fine). It was a bit too insta-lovey for my taste, but the chemistry between the two MCs was great. I found a lot of the elements of the story were very convenient, almost unnaturally so, and it bugged me a little. This is a rom-com, I get it, but at time I felt like the tone was a little too light in very dire situations. Who makes a joke about shared custody after being almost shot? Maybe when you are used to this kind of situation... MAYBE. But it wasn't Andee's case. Maybe the author was trying to make the FMC come across as badass, but to me it made her come across as ditsy and dense. And at the same time, I felt like sometimes some situations were too dark to be in a rom-com. Like the author had a story but didn't quite know what genre to write it in? It's a rom-com with strong spy novel undertones. Can't say I've ever read anything like it, so points for originality! Although I would've liked it to be more defined, it was still a fun read.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith, book two in the My Spy series, is a romantic suspense with non-stop action, forced proximity, and a fake relationship. Andee Paxton, one of the top fireworks designers in the country, has her world turned upside down when an online DNA test reveals that her biological father is Holt, a dangerous criminal who recently escaped from prison; not the celebrity she was told it was. Suddenly, the CIA is at her doorstep, looking to use her as bait to lure Holt out of hiding. Before they can carry out their plan and get her in protective custody, Andee and CIA Officer Chan are kidnapped; with Andee impulsively insisting Chan is her boyfriend, protecting his cover. What follows is a forced proximity, fake relationship romance between her and Chan, a hard of hearing undercover CIA operative where they have to use their wits to outsmart her father who is intent on having her help him make a dangerous chemical weapon.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#MrNiceSpy #NetGalley #Berkley