Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced copy.

I enjoyed Mae Marvel's previous book. This one was not for me. I got very lost in the spy plot, which got tedious really quickly. I didn't really like either protagonist. I didn't really enjoy either the romance or the main plot. I feel bad that I feel that way, because lesbian spy story should be something I really like.

This was a solid, enjoyable book. My favourite aspect was definitely the plot surrounding the black op and dangerous tech - I think it was really well-executed, with good foreshadowing, twists, and tension. I also really appreciated how many of the spies were female and/or queer in a line of work that is usually male-dominated. And, in general, the spy-ness of it all was very engaging and fun and believably written.

The part that was more lacking was, sadly, the romance. There wasn't even necessarily anything wrong with the romance - Yardley and KC were well-realized characters on their own, and I completely understood the conflict that arose in their relationship, and I thought the story did a good job of showing how they grew as individuals before they were able to grow back together as a couple. But the problem is that I really only saw them as a couple in crisis trying to mend things. I know this is probably a personal preference thing - some people live for second-chance romances and established couples in stories - but I found it hard to connect with a relationship that I mostly only saw on its bad days. I think maybe a handful of flashbacks could have remedied this. The narration alludes to happy moments together earlier in their relationship, but readers never actually get to sit in and experience those moments.

I also think the book is mismarketed slightly. The title, cover art style, and description all gave me the impression that this would be a bit of a comedy. It is very much not. This book leans very serious and tense, with much more emphasis on action and romance than levity.

Overall, this was a good book. I would definitely consider reading from these authors again.

A delightfully sapphic twist on Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a second chance romance, open door spice, and a fun spy mission!

Is this a realistic view of how the CIA works? No, but I'm a big proponent of suspension of disbelief and had a great time following Yardley, KC, and a cast of diverse supporting characters on their mission. We follow the pair through different parts of the world and various personas, my favorite of which being Max and Daphne towards the end. Despite the twists and turns, the outcome was predictable, something I personally did not mind as I was in this book for the journey, not the destination.
If I Told You, I'd Have to Kill You does a nice job of balancing the action and romance, though sometimes felt long-winded with the analysis of Yardley and KC's relationship and future. I appreciated that the author made an effort to criticize the flaws of the agency, particularly how heteronormative and patriarchal many of the protocols and red tape within our government and society are, even if it came off as slightly cringe at times. And while I appreciated the spicy scenes, they did often come out of the blue, which I excused the lack of buildup due to Yardley and KC's long-term relationship.
All in all, I had a wonderful time reading this book and would recommend! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You.

The premise of the book sounded so good and I wanted to love it but...I couldn't get into the characters. There were so many character changes with the two main characters being spies and in the process of breaking up. I couldn't keep up with it all. I read about 45% and that was all I could handle.
I am not sure what would make this more readable. Maybe if only one was a spy? There was a lot going on in this story. Maybe there should be a chart with all the characters?
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy.l what a good book. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I loved the characters of KC and Yardly and the chemistry they had. Definitely had Mr. and Mrs. Smith going on. A new author I'll be looking out for,

a very cute book about some awesome people with some awesome vibes. tysm for the arc, would recommend. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️.5 / 5

It could be rounded up to 3 at times, but I found myself struggling throughout the book.

I really wanted to love this book. The concept was there but the execution was lackluster. The writing was slightly choppy where I had to re-read the entire page to understand what was going on.

I think if the author wrote a sapphic romance between Yardley and KC without the “spy agent” aspect, it would’ve read better! The entire mission was lost on me but the chemistry between the two was amazing!

If I told you, I’d have to kiss you gave me Get Smart for the sapphic reader vibe! It was cute and I enjoyed it!

I’ll recommend to all looking for a very light read with the spy-thriller desire.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You hit my favorite type of book, a spy caper, but it’s also an inclusive book that was written in such a way that I wanted to live in its world of acceptance and clear representation of why diversity of thought and experience really does make a difference - especially when it comes to saving the world.

Our spies are actually a couple whose relationship hasn’t stood the test of time thanks to the CIA hiding from them that their partner is also a coworker. Instead the two have had a passionate relationship which has held back a big chunk of honesty. And in its dying breaths Yardley and KC suddenly learn that the other is in fact a spy and that they’re now being tasked with KC, the tech in the background, taking on the role of field operative while Yardley, the star field operative, acting as her mentor. The action doesn’t stop in this one and the two find out if they can rekindle their relationship while finally getting to know each other truly (and saving the world). This was really well done, and I loved the spy story as much as I did the dive into the two’s personalities and relationship.

Interesting read. I didn't think I would enjoy novel about spys, but the author proved me wrong. The plot was very intricate and interesting. There was mystery and suspense, as well as a little angst and romance. Overall, a good read. Well done.

This was a really good WLW book! However, it just fell flat for me and started dragging halfway through.

Some of the interactions between the characters weren’t as meaningful as they could’ve been and the spy stuff wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped it would be.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC.

I really quite enjoyed this one - it's a unique take on a Mr. & Mrs. Smith spy vs. spy concept, with a twist. I am usually not a fan of second chance romances, but this isn't really that; the breakup is fresh, and they're still clearly in love with each other. Like a lot of sapphic books, the communication shines through, which is especially interesting here since it's clear that up until the events of this book, there has been almost no communication between the two FMCs.

I will be honest that I did start to lose interest about 2/3rds of the way in - there's a lot of detailed spy work and the business of the job they're on overwhelms the character development at times.

But the last few chapters are really fantastic. I felt like we were gifted a true second chance romance here, where these two were able to strip down all the lies (inherent in both their jobs and their own personalities due to childhood trauma) and finally figure out a way to move forward honestly and together. Loved it!

4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book. THIS BOOK. Excellent concept. We love a good twist on sapphic romance, and this one features two CIA spy leads. However, it somehow fell flat in reading it.

I'm new to the second-chance trope, but there were at least two sex scenes that had (virtually?) no foreplay and I had to reread the page because suddenly, with no leadup or context, the two main characters are full-on having sex. I like a good spicy scene, but it felt really abrupt.

The characters being spies never quite felt believable.

And while I do appreciate some of the deeper themes the book attempts to delve into, especially the question of "what makes a romance long-lived?" If I Told You felt very, very long.

Again, great concept and still a fun read if you like WLW romance! It just fell a little short.

I would rate this book a 3.5/5 stars,

The book was pretty good and interesting as well as enjoyable, I AM IN LOVE WITH KC AND YARDLEY, they both had a lot of cute interactions and it was so fun to read their interactions, the story was quite good as it kept me wanting more and more but by the time i was nearing the end it started to get a little bit boring that's the only reason why i gave it 1.5 stars less. But if you are into spy stuff its a pretty great read.

Funny, sexy, and fast-paced adventures! The authors did a great job keeping the action moving but also dealing with the real emotions of navigating a relationship and revealing who you truly are to your partner. Will definitely be adding more of their books to my TBR list. I received this as a Netgalley advanced copy.

This heart-racing romance is a delicious blend of intrigue, humor, and sizzling chemistry. The author masterfully crafts a world where danger lurks around every corner, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. From narrow escapes in charming European locales to those steamy moments tucked away in an ambassador’s linen closet, every twist had me on the edge of my seat. What really struck me was the emotional depth of their relationship; their banter, vulnerabilities, and the longing they can’t quite escape make this more than just a thrilling adventure. If you enjoy spies, secrets, and a romance that simmers with tension, this book is a must-read!

The good:
- A+ concept
- Packed in all the little spy tropes from "we have to kiss for the mission" to double agents and still managed to feel fresh.
- An actually fairly believable and positive lesbian love story

The bad:
- About 50% longer than it needed to be. We spend a lot of time looking at scenery, idealizing Southern Belles, and convincing ourselves we're competent, and it gets boring.
- Gave away too much up front, so I felt like I spent a lot of time waiting for X thing to actually happen on the page after one character or another's internal monologue gave away that a person was untrustworthy, that someone was in danger, etc.

The ugly:
Neither main character in this book should actually work for the CIA as a) Yard knows it's untrustworthy (eg her philosophy of "don't let handlers dictate your plan because you're expendable to them") and b) KC is more or less a victim of grooming. This was half of why I started speeding through - I couldn't believe the characters still wanted to be there. The "we can fix it from the inside" conversation they have in act 3 is painful to watch and laughably naive on behalf of all involved.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for this eARC! I had a great time with this one! It was a different vibe then what I'm used to reading but still so much fun. Yardley and KC have amazing chemistry with one another and its so great to see two main characters who are so goddamn good at their jobs. Spy shenanigans are always a fun ride and throw in sapphic love and you have said enough, I'm sold. Totally awesome read.

While I'm new to the second chance romance trope, this was so refreshing from my usual reads. I've had some lesbian romances in my tbr, previous reads had me steering away but this one may have hooked me again. While it was my first 'spy' read, I thought it was a decent add to the story but thought it could have gone a different direction and worked out better, but that's just what I would prefer. I loved Yardley and KC's relationship and would love more with them!

oh second chance lesbians, how i love u… this was such an interesting concept! we love to see sapphics in all kinds of romance subgenres, especially spy stuff. this was a second chance romance, like i said— kiiinda? they had, like, just broken up, but y’know. still. anyway, i really liked this! it wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, and unfortunately i read this right after a stellar emily henry, but yardley and kc? EVERYTHING to me. 50 more books of them kissing please