What happens when an every day girl ends up having to impersonate a prime Minster? You get the CIA giving you a job and handler you can't stand in Flynn who you have a past with. Well Chaos happens and you end trying to balance your assignment and not falling in love with Flynn. This one read like a movie and I enjoyed it. Can't wait to read more by this author.

Starts off right in the action, threw me off for a couple minutes before I realized that's what happened. It reminded me of the movie First Daughter with Katie Holmes, mixed with It Takes Two, with the Olsen Twins. I know different story lines but a bit of resemblance. Here we have Max who happens to look exactly like a foreign Prime Minister, who is offered by the CIA, not sure that's how it works, to play her decoy on vacation. Throw in her handler, who happens to be a previous boyfriend from years ago, and you have the recipe for romance and disaster. A quick read that had me hooked from the start

I received this ARC from publishers via Netgalley

#CodeWordRomance #NetGalley

📣 I was caught off guard by how much I loved this one!

Thank you, @berkleyromance & Netgalley, for the free ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what would your code word be if you were in a heist & needed help? My family has a code word we use when someone is playing too rough: it’s pineapple. I have no idea how we thought of it 🤣.

If you loved The Blonde Identity, you should *totally* check out Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker.

This book is comparable to that one, with the added and welcome addition of some spice.

Max is a chef whose beloved restaurant shut down during Covid. Swamped with debt and feeling like she owes family and friends, she takes advantage of the bizarre opportunity presented to her by the CIA: she’ll be the pretend Prime Minister of a country so the real one won’t be assassinated.

But when she arrives at the job, she realizes her handler is her first love, who unsummarily dumped her without warning years before.

Code Word Romance has definite fish out of water vibes. Max is an amateur, but she’s smart and resourceful and the bumps she has along the way make the book even funnier.

The second chance arc is relatively low angst, which this gal appreciated. Some fans of that trope might be a little disappointed with how easily it’s resolved, but I was a-okay with it.

Easy & breezy but add a CIA decoy plot & you get this upcoming release!

5⭐️. Out 03/18.

[ID: Jess holds the book in front of some pink & orange flowers.]

What a fun romance! Had a blast reading this. Reminded me a bit of The Lizzie McGuire movie if it were an action film haha.

I really liked the characters. They had great chemistry and tension. I really enjoyed their interactions. Max and Flynn were very entertaining. Plus so many romantic quotes to choose from!

The action was exciting and kept me in the story. The plot was fast-paced and interesting. I also found this to be quite funny and had excellent side characters. I could definitely picture this as a movie.

If you're looking for an action romcom with great plot and characters, pick this on up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC for my honest review!!

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗:
Max is offered a large amount of money to pose as a double for a foreign prime minister, & with her drowning in debt, she can hardly say no. But the prime minister’s life is currently at risk, which means now so is Max’s. And then there’s the fact that her CIA handler is her first love and first heartbreak, Flynn. Can Max & Flynn work together to find the assassin before it’s too late?

𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎:
This is a fun, lighthearted read set amongst an assassin thriller and I had such a great time reading it! The plot is easy to follow and moves quickly, but there’s enough mystery and twists to keep you on your toes. I loved how Max stepped into her role as playing prime minister, & I also really loved the actual prime minister & what she was trying to do for her country!

I will say that the romance was lacking a bit for me. I did enjoy what we had, but I wanted more connection between them. I think some flashbacks of their time together would’ve been really helpful to solidify that summer they fell in love!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁:

👓 second chance romance
👓set in Italy
👓Chef FMC turned CIA asset
👓he’s her bodyguard & 1st love
👓single POV

A fun second chance at love…with a little CIA spy craft and oddly charming characters added in. Max and Flynn fell in love with each other as teenagers one summer when they worked together at a seafood restaurant in Maine at the end of the summer Flynn left with his parents but promised he’d come back to see her at thanksgiving. But before that visit, Flynn sent her an email to end their relationship and break Max’s heart. Fifteen years later, Max’s successful restaurant has not survived the pandemic, even after she borrowed a lot of money from family and friends, and she’s working at a dead end catering job and sharing an apartment with a kinda odd character and feeling sorrow for herself. So, when a CIA agent offers Max a job to be a body double for a Prime Minister who may be an assassination target for 5 million dollars, she feels that she must accept so she can pay back all her debt. Max is whisked off to Italy, had her hair dyed to match the PM’s and introduced to her CIA handler. Surprise, it’s Flynn. At first if really awkward but their chemistry is still off the charts and they find it hard to resist each other. Unfortunately, while Max and Flynn are reconnecting, assassins are trying to kill Max, who they think is the PM. It’s a wild ride but fun and romantic.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!


What a fun, entertaining summer read! I found the author interwove an excellent amount of humour into this plot line that kept the reader reminded of the lighthearted, fun and romantic novel amidst the assassin thriller storyline.

I found the romance swoon worthy and adored the second chance romance trope. I did, however, find the nicknames a little cringey. If someone called me Starfish as an adult I wouldn’t find it cute but kinda weird.

All in all, this was an enjoyable and fast paced read. I won’t rave about it and recommend it to everyone but I did still really enjoy it.

Um… I did not love this. There was a lot of potential but the whole storyline was so far fetched and the “CIA dialogue” was a bit cringe for me. And the main character Max was aggravating with a lot of her decisions, and it seemed like a lot of plot points were never fully developed or explained properly. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because I did love the humor and escapist aspects of Italy.

#BerkleyPartner Thanks so much to Berkley Romance for my free copy of this eARC!

Max is working as a cater waiter, looking forward to the day where she’s no longer insanely in debt or owing money to everyone she loves. Unfortunately (or fortunately??) that hope manifests into an offer from the CIA- to stand in for the youngest European prime minister, who is being targeted by an assassin. Soon, Max finds out this happened because her ex and the only man she ever *truly* loved casually mentioned their resemblance, and now he’s her HANDLER. Amidst gelato, romantic beaches, delicious Italian dishes, chic lifestyle changes, and the offer for a very generous reward at the end, Max is thrown into a new world in Italy, and all she does is try to survive— and it’s so entertaining all the way through. Flynn is a perfect complement to Max, the action is exciting and well-paced, and the writing is really just fresh and fun. I will absolutely read more from Carlie Walker in the future!

Frothy silliness of the spy mission variety, with a Prime Minister under threat and an unassuming American who juuuuuust happens to be her identical double. Realistic? Bah, who asked for realistic? It's fun and goofy and I enjoyed it very much.

📖 Max, a chef, is down on her luck, lacking confidence and trust in herself after her restaurant goes under during the pandemic. Now working for a catering company, she never expects the CIA to show up and ask for her help. A cool $5 million is tempting, as Max owes a lot of people she loves money for their help with her business. The downside? She would have to be the decoy for a prime minister who is the target of an assassin. Assured it will feel like an Italian vacation, Max agrees. When she meets her handler, she questions everything again - because he was the one who got away: Flynn, a summer romance from years ago. Forced to work together in close quarters, the two thwart assassins, fake a relationship, and try to keep out of trouble. Can Max escape this mission with both her life, and heart in one piece?

💭 This was the ultimate escape! Fun, fast paced, hilarious mishaps, some suspense and mystery, and the *chef's kiss* (pun intended) tension between Flynn and Max is perfection. The side characters were quirky and so loveable. Who doesn't love an overbearing hotel owner, or a ranch dressing obsessed roommate? I loved Max's character - so relatable! It was fun to see her confidence grow through something so far out of her comfort zone (chef turned spy??). Sometimes you just need to try something that's absolutely out of left field! I loved Flynn's support of her future and, you know, life 😆. They made quite a team in more ways than one! If you're looking for an absolute adventure, a fish out of water romcom (think Miss Congeniality!), with a second chance romance - add this to your TBR!

I like the setting on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, and the plot that involves two women who could be identical twins. Drama follows when Max is asked to impersonate her double, Sofia, a prime minister of a small European country who is on a trip to Italy.

The romantic interest makes the story more interesting, as Max's CIA handler on the trip, Flynn, is a former lover. There is suspense when the two have to flee and hide from would be assassins who want to take out the prime minister Sofia. The book lost me, though, when Max morphs into another personality, suddenly becoming a daredevil involved in drama on the scene. I wish she had remained in her original character, someone who needs Flynn's help to dodge killers while she impersonates Sofia.

I did enjoy the first part of the book, however.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a link to this. Unfortunately, I didn't get very far in before I lost interest. I just felt like I've read a version of this before ("failure" millennial gets put in a crazy situation with her ex) and I wasn't in the mood for a sort of silly spy romcom. Not for me, but I'm sure a lot of other readers will enjoy this for a beach read.

This was a fun second chance romance. In her wildest dreams Max wouldn’t have expected to become a CIA asset and working in Italy as a double for the vacationing Prime Minister of Summerland. Turns out Flynn, Max’s former flame and current CIA handler, is the surprising reason her life has come to this. Comedic moments, dangerous situations, and an over the top plot combine with a beautiful setting for an entertaining story. My first Carlie Walker book and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

I need Code Word Romance made into a movie and put on Netflix like yesterday.

When I read The Take Down by Carlie Walker, I knew I found a new favorite author. Code Word Romance cemented this. Walker creates action-packed, suspenseful mysteries with the feel of a romantic comedy. The romances, while not front and center, are emotional and sexy. The side characters and settings are spectacular and add depth to the storytelling.

Margaux "Max" Adams and Flynn Forrester have my whole heart. The yearning, the tension, the emotions. So, so good. I rooted for them the entire time. The assassination plotline was a bit ridiculous but in a good way - simultaneously hilarious and dangerous at the same time. It was also exhilarating and cinematic, keeping me on the edge of my seat, second-guessing all the characters, and rapidly turning the pages. The writing is fantastic and everything a romantic comedy should be. I had so much fun reading this. I can't wait for all of you to read it, too.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an over the top rom-com involving assassins, doppelgangers, the CIA and rogue vespas. It's a fun page turner that I devoured in a day. Put the reality aside and enjoy the wild ride. Also enjoy the side of romance with an over the top good looking handler, that just happens to be the the heroine's teen love years before.

This perfect read is just what you need to get you through those remaining cold days of winter! love carlie and her writing

This book felt like watching a movie! Oh how I loved it. I requested because I loved the premise, and not going to lie, because the hero gives me Glen Powell vibes in the cover. It’s my first book by the author but it won’t be the last. The romance was perfect, the plot was extremely engaging and the side characters (Calvin) stole my heart.

The plot! I expected romance and some humor and a little banter but the side of mystery was so exciting

CODE WORD ROMANCE by Carlie Walker is a fun adventure with a side dish of second chance romance!!

Max is struggling, working front-of-house in a catering business after her restaurant closes its doors. When a mysterious CIA agent shows up with an offer of a "simple job" with a quick payout of 5 million dollars, who is Max to say no?? Only it turns out the "simple job" is anything but simple and her CIA handler is none other than her first (only?) love!

Suspend a little belief with this one and you'll love it. The setting of summer in Italy was the perfect escape for a little winter storm weekend read. Max was brave, and as we got to understand her guilt and her wanting to take care of those who took care of her, you want her to succeed even while begging her to stop putting herself into trouble for this Prime Minister! And enter Flynn - I think he more than made up for what happened in their past. The one thing maybe missing from this one? More development on Calvin, he was the gift that kept on giving though!

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an ARC of this one in exchange for an honest review. Code Word Romance comes out March 18th, make sure to grab a copy!!