Such a super fun read! The action packed scenes I could see so vividly in my head. KC and Yardley's healing of their relationship and their dynamic adds to their navigation of their mission.

This is my second Mae Marvel book and I can't wait for more!

✨ The Vibes ✨
A romance for anyone who grew up reading Ally Carter

📖 Read if…
✨ Gallagher Girls was your favorite series as a kid
✨ You liked the pining and dial POVs of The Pairing
✨ You enjoy stories that are equal parts action and romance

If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You follows Yardley, an elite CIA agent, and KC, a gifted hacker as they work on a challenging mission. As an added obstacle, they’re exes that have just learned they’ve been hiding their true identities from each other for years. Now, they’re tasked with not only repairing their relationship, but also saving the world.

I figured I’d enjoy this one, but I wasn’t prepared for how much I’d enjoy it! It’s fun and action-packed, and I really loved how it played with a known trope (spies not realizing they are dating each other) and spun it into something that felt fresh and modern, without sacrificing the romantic tension. I read a significant portion of the book via audio and actually found myself looking forward to work/chores so I would get more time to listen which is a sign of a great book in my opinion.

The book neatly wraps up both the espionage plotline and the romance plotline, but even with that ending, I’d still really love to see this spun off into a series. Give me more adventures featuring Yardley and KC as they face new obstacles in their relationship, or even a series of interconnected standalones featuring other members of the team. I just want to spend more time in this world!

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You is out now, and would make a great summer read! Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In all honesty, I DNF’d this book. The pacing was so fast yet so slow, that I was getting pure whiplash just from the information being dumped on me all at once. The plot sounds good on paper, and if I had gotten any further it might have been good but I just couldn’t get past the major info dumping in the beginning.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc! I absolutely loved this book. There was so much emotional depth to it and it didn't feel like the typical romance where one question/issue was addressed and then everything worked out. You could feel just how much love was between these two but also how complicated everything was.

Also, as someone who grew up loving everything to do with spies, I loved how all of that tied into the book. It felt like there was a really good balance between their connection and romance and the actual plot of what was going on in their lives.

A sapphic Mr and Ms Smith?! Yeeaaahhhh I’m in. This was such a fun read. The chemistry was fire and there were such thrilling twists. This book blew me away.

Thank you Netgalley and Mae Marvel and Macmillan Audio for the e-ARC and ALC.

Audio notes: Mia Hutchison-Shaw is such a talented narrator. There are so many voices and accents she had to do and she did a great job! I wish perhaps there had been another narrator because it was at times very difficult to figure out who's POV I was reading. But still, it was really well done.

This book is so fun! SAPPHIC SPIES. Doing spy stuff!!

KC and Yardley are both spies... and dating... but they don't know the other is a spy until they break up because the other one is never home and has too many secrets. Then they end up on the same mission and realize they're both spies... and the shit kind of hits the fan.

It was fun, and sweet, and really entertaining. I loved that the main characters working together brings them back together, as I am a sucker for second chance romances.

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You is a fun, character rich romance with great LGBTQ+ rep and a twist of spy thriller energy. The standout for me was the cast every character felt fleshed out, with layered motivations and believable dynamics between them. I especially appreciated how communication between the characters evolved throughout the book. I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope, so it was refreshing to see emotional growth and clarity as the story progressed.

The romance itself was sweet and had strong chemistry, but I did wish for a few more one on one scenes between the main couple. Even though the author worked hard to create private feeling moments, I’m someone who prefers more emotional intimacy without a lot of background characters in the mix.

My only real critique is the pacing. The beginning felt spot on, and the middle while slower was understandable given the plot developments. However, the ending moved a bit too quickly. It wasn’t overly rushed, but I would have loved a bit more time to sit in those final moments.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of sapphic romance, character driven plots, and stories that balance action with emotional depth.

kind of dragged. not my fave this year unfortunately ................................................

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel ⭐⭐⭐

A fun, femme‑femme spy romance with sharp banter and plenty of chemistry. The premise is great—two secret agents falling for each other—but the execution leans more on charm than depth. Plot twists felt a bit convenient, and the spy elements stayed surface‑level. Still, it’s a breezy, entertaining read with solid LGBTQ+ representation. Perfect if you’re in the mood for something light, flirty, and fast-paced.

What held it back from a higher rating was the emotional payoff—while the characters are likable, their relationship sometimes felt rushed or underexplored. If you’re looking for a light romantic escape, this delivers, but if you want something that sticks with you emotionally, it might fall a little short.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. I listened to this book and was pleased that is had some espionage action. Interesting trope of two undercover agents working but were lovers first, on the brinks of breaking up to find out they both are undercover. It was entertaining.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I love a good spy movie, book, show, anything really. I love the high stakes adventure and life or death mission. Saving the world has me on the edge of my seat, like will the good guys win? This book felt like that and more. It's about losing the love of your life but getting a second chance that feels like falling in love for the first time cause there's no more secrets. They both found out they're spies. I wish it were a little more saving the world and less relationship complications but overall still exciting and still really cute. I enjoyed it.

“The Pairing” was one of my top reads last year and when I saw that “If I Told You I’d Have to Kiss You” was being billed as a cross between that book and a sapphic reimagining of one of my favorite early 2000s movies - Mr. And Mrs. Smith - I jumped at a chance to read this ARC. The premise is cute - Yardley and KC are in the midst of a breakup and neither know that the other also works for the CIA. They discover the truth on a mission and have to work together while also working on their relationship.

While I enjoyed the idea of the book I did struggle with the pacing which was especially slow in the middle part of the book. I also struggled to connect with Yardley and KC - they felt rather flat. I think this was a me thing but it took me out of the story and left me struggling to continue.

Overall this was a fun and light read! Mae Marvel is a new-to-me writer and I’m looking forward to checking out her other works and seeing what she writes next!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3

setting: all over
Rep: two lesbian protagonists

I really enjoyed Mae Marvel's last book and I had high hopes for this one, especially at the start. It was intriguing at the beginning but eventually I found myself getting confused and the plot felt a bit muddled. I think it was a bit too long and some parts could have been cut/condensed for a tighter and more sensical story. also, very little romance in this - it's way more of an action book

I was fortunate to get an arc and an ALC.

This was my ALC review:
DNFing at 52%. I’m just bored. It could be because of the narration, but usually I’m a fan of Mia Hutchinson-Shaw’s narration. This time, though, I found it hard to separate characters. Honestly, once the two exes figured out they had been working with each other, the book was far less interesting, which was a bummer because it was a fantastic premise.

So, I thought I would give the arc a try:
Oh, no, that was a bad decision. The ALC was more enjoyable to listen to, but I didn't like it. The book just fell flat. This was not a book for me, sadly.

If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel is a fast-paced, sapphic spy romance that’s equal parts adrenaline and angst, wrapped in a delightfully stylish package. Yardley “the Unicorn” Whitmer is a charming, practically untouchable secret agent; KC “Tabasco” Nolan is a brilliant hacker with a secret identity of her own. What they don’t know? They’ve been dating their professional nemeses for years. The reveal is explosive, the tension electric, and the emotional stakes are as high as the international ones.

Marvel delivers a globe-trotting romp full of witty banter, secret identities, and a healthy dose of romantic chaos. The chemistry between Yardley and KC is undeniable, and their journey from betrayal to reconnection is surprisingly heartfelt beneath all the spycraft and sharp dialogue. Some plot moments stretch believability, but that’s part of the fun—this is a story that leans into its drama with flair. It’s stylish, sexy, and deeply satisfying: a second-chance romance with gadgets, disguises, and real emotional payoff.

This book was okay, but the pacing felt off. I tried reading it on my e-reader, then switched to an ALC about 30% in. I think some people would really enjoy it, but it was just okay for me.

3.5 ⭐️

What a fun Ms. & Ms. Smith style spy romance! The spy aspect of things was so fun and light, while the relationship aspect was uber romantic and sweet. This book was about learning each other in a new light. When they thought it was broken and over, they learned they truth (that they'reboth spies working for the same agency!), something that had been missing. But now that they knew the truth, they could re-explore if their relationship could work. There was tension and a slooow burn. There was also some really great side characters.

That awkward situation where you realize you’re not into a genre (contemporary romance) but only -after- you already received arc in that genre, oops.

I think this was a fun take on a second chance romance, watching people who never would have broken up in the first place, if they hadn’t had to keep classified secrets about their jobs, fall back in love once they’re allowed to be honest with each other. Full of fancy gadgets and disguises, someone less uncomfortable by the copaganda of the spy genre would probably have a lot of fun with this.

Dnf at 53%

I was really excited for this book and tried hard to finish it, but unfortunately I couldn’t. I found the premise interesting and I love a second chance romance. But I felt a distance from the characters and story that I struggled to stay engaged.

I really wanted to find myself invested in this, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I was in a bit of a slump when I attempted to read it, or it just wasn't compelling enough in the beginning to hold my interest, but I found myself putting this novel down for weeks at a time and not thinking about it for a second. And then I would open my kindle app and remember, "I have to finish that!" I think the premise is interesting, and I'm sure in the future when I pick it up again I'll enjoy it more. It just wasn't one that could pull me out of my slump and suck me right in.