this was such a cute & fun adventure, and I loved the dynamic between El & Carter! 🥰

Thank you Berkley Publishing & Penguin Random House Audio for the eARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.

✦ tropes & stuff:
🛸 solving mysteries + ufo sightings
🛸 (underestimated) influencer fmc
🛸 man in black cinnamon roll mmc
🛸 cute banter
🛸 family trauma/baggage and secrets
🛸 found family
🛸 dual 1st person pov

•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•

🎧 audio/ebook | ⭐️: 4.25 | 🌶️: 3 |

El & Carter were just the sweetest characters, and I loved seeing their growth throughout the story.

They really supported & brought out the best in one another, even if on the surface they didn’t seem like a match.
Both were underestimated, and meeting each other gave them the space & support to be their true selves 🥹

The mystery element was a fun addition to the romance, adding some suspense to the story as well 😍

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
I’m totally obsessed with Elizabeth Lamont, and loved her as El! Iggy Toma was the perfect fit for Carter’s character too.

4 stars. Such a freakishly fun, flirty + quirky little tale! And what a great twist on the movie Men in Black! El Carter is struggling to find herself other than being an influencer when she sees something otherworldly. Then she meets Carter Brody not long after who appears to be a dead ringer for a “Men in Black” character—although his uncle actually is one. Carter asks to help his uncle with El’s case. You see Carter had lost his parents at different times, but not long after they both had “supposedly” came into contact with a terrestrial. Carter and El join up on this adventurous caper to investigate, spy, and do any other not so legal activities to find answers.. during which they fall head over heels.. smitten with each other. With a cinnamon roll hero, flirty banter, funny one-liners, and growing chemistry.. who doesn’t enjoy a sweet romance with a bit of paranormal/government conspiracy as the backdrop.. I enjoyed it all! This caught me off guard as I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. Pub. 8/12/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love love loved Mallory Marlowe's debut book Love and Other Conspiracies. I also got to arc read for that one, so I was so excited when I was approved for this one!! Marlowe's books are the love language to anyone who went through quirky paranormal phases (but lets be real we still love it). We're talking ghost hunting, conspiracy theories, aliens, etc. But she puts a twist on paranormal with modern day romcoms.

Even though I knew what I was signing up for, this one just didn't hit the same as her previous book. It had a very very slow start and I had myself wondering where the book was going. She also added a more mysterious element to this book, and I'm not sure it worked in her favor. I had a difficult time finding the characters in this one relatable, and I just wasn't obsessed with. It's not great. but I did finish it. Hoping for some improvements in her next book!

A fun romcom with some mystery, but I think this one was a bit too over the top for me. Things between Carter and El were too instalust and their physical attraction made up most of their connection. The story seemed to meander and stall in the middle and I’m not sure I would have finished if I didn’t have the audio. The characters felt underdeveloped and caricatures of an influencer and an agent for a secret organization. I did like the overall message of being yourself and the found family vibes between El and Carter, but overall this was a miss for me.

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Elizabeth Lamont and Iggy Toma. They both captured the quirk and charm of each character and I liked that the text messages were read in duet style. They kept me listening, but the story itself was just ok.

Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5 stars

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

Love At First Sighting:⁣
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Thank you @prhaudio @berkleyromance for my gifted copies! #PRHAudioPartner #BerkleyPartner ⁣
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“Tonight, I choose to follow my heart and not the algorithm.”⁣
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I was so excited about Mallory Marlowe’s newest coming out. Love & Other Conspiracies was an absolute favorite from last year and I needed a new read! El & Carter did not disappoint.⁣
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Honestly, I was worried I would think El would be cringe with her influencer life, but I think Marlowe wrote it perfectly. Plus, it’s more and more revelant in society so like.. get used to it? ⁣
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The mystery was fun and they reminded me of Scooby Doo & gang trying to get the bad guy. There’s obviously trauma for his dad and well, it is a slow burn Spivey romance, but so fun.⁣
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Audio was phenomenal. It was a dual narration, and I really felt like Elizabeth Lamont stole the show. She was so good and her Carter was so raspy, it was swoony.⁣
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TLDR; I loved it. Audio was wonderful. Stay weird.⁣
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QOTD: Any plans today/tomorrow? ⁣
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PS - my work had a space theme week so I took FULL advantage for photo ops.

I absolutely loved Marlowe's prior book, and this fun action romance was another great summer read!

El is an influencer who is tired of being an influencer, wanting something more real in her life. She stumbles across something strange when filming content, and it leads Carter right to her. Carter works for a shadowy government agency a la the men in black, investigating strange occurrences. The pair work together to attempt to figure out just what El saw that night and fall adorably in love along the way.

The central mystery was entertaining, and I loved the way El kept calling Carter's agency piss instead of saying the letters P-I-S the way he tried to tell her to. Their banter throughout the story was top notch, and Marlowe does an excellent job putting the com into her rom-coms.

At its heart, this is still a romance, one where two lonely souls find each other and realize what they have been missing out on. I thought the character arcs were done incredibly well and loved seeing our main characters find love, the truth, and justice all at once!

Audio narrators Elizabeth Lamont and Iggy Toma become their characters, and I happily binged the audio in one afternoon.

Picture this: You see a UFO that tries to kill you and now you're being stalked by a hot Man In Black.

That was more than enough to convince me to read this and I'm so glad I did. After Mallory's debut 'Love and Other Conspiracies' (which I gave 5 stars) I decided she's a new auto buy.

Carter was such a sweet cinnamon roll and so hot that it didn't matter he was blonde.

Love at First Sighting is a fun, flirty romance wrapped in a quirky, slightly sci-fi bow, but it’s also surprisingly heartfelt—especially when it comes to Carter’s story. His journey is quietly heartbreaking, and the way it unfolds kept me rooting for him from the first page to the last.

The real standout for me was El’s personal growth. As she says, “The truth is, I’m not choosing Carter. I’m choosing me…” That moment hit hard. Watching her go from chasing clout and fame to finally prioritizing her own happiness was so satisfying.

El and Carter together? Perfection. They’re smart, funny, and brimming with delicious sexual tension. Their dynamic is made even better by their investigative partnership—think crime-solving meets will-they-won’t-they, with a clever twist on Men in Black that made me grin.

The book sprinkles in pop culture references like Easter eggs, adding a playful layer to the storytelling. While some minor characters fell into stereotypical molds, the emotional arc of both leads—especially the contrast between the Carter we meet at the start and the Carter El eventually sees—made the story feel fresh and worth the read.

Playful, heartfelt, and just a little otherworldly, Love at First Sighting is a romance with both charm and depth.

4.5 Stars

El is a social media influencer who captures a UFO on video. This brings her to the attention of Carter, a government agent with a mysterious personal connection to the sighting. As they work together to uncover a conspiracy, their undeniable chemistry leads to an unexpected romance.

Who knew I needed a rom-com with a UFO sighting and a “Men in Black” swoon worthy male MC?! I adored this book, and Carter with his suspenders might be my new book boyfriend! It was such a fun and entertaining read. I loved El and Carter’s chemistry and witty banter. The book was past paced and filled with adventure, conspiracy and a little mystery. Such a charming and unexpected gem!

This was a lot of fun. I really enjoy Mallory Marlowe's writing style and her books feel unique, fun, and refreshing. Normally, a book with this many social media references would slightly irk me as I think it can accidentally date a book, but I think it was used in a smart way for this story. I liked El's journey with how she saw herself - really allowing herself for the first time in a long time to do things she wanted to do. Carter was so sweet and I was so happy he was able to find closure from his past and finally find things to do that make him happy.

Even though I really liked this, the story was a little chaotic at times and didn't quite capture the perfect magic that was Love and Other Conspiracies. There was a lot going on with this book with the investigation and sometimes Carter and El's banter and interactions were a bit clunky, but in general I still loved them together.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book and liked it a lot! Will always read more from Mallory Marlowe! Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book - all opinions are my own!

where can I get myself an agent Carter? 🤔

y'allllll. I love Mallory Marlowe. Her stories are nerdy fun that I just gobble up! Love at First Sighting was no different. Thank you SO much to Berkley Romance for the ARC. These are my honest thoughts.

El Carter is an ~influencer~ who is trapped being an influencer. She hates it, but it's her livelihood. She takes an off-the-beat-path hike to grab some snaps for her socials, and she accidentally sees something she shouldn't. She realizes, after a near death experience, that no one would come to her if she called, because all of her relationships are surface level or fake. And that's depressing to her.

ENTER FREAKING AGENT CARTER BRODY. The sweet softie lost his mom as a baby and his dad in a tragic accident as a teen... immediately following their own encounter with a terrestrial being of some kind. Carter got a picture of it, and his dad tells him to keep it safe and always back it up in two places. When El's case comes across Carter's desk at a super secret government agency that doesn't exist, he BEGS his pseudo-uncle who raised him to let him be a field agent this one time!! Please!!! And while his JOB is to shut El's theory and posts down, instead, he tries to enlist her to help him. First, El hears him out, then she throws his badge in a dumpster and leads him on a goose chase alllll over L.A. to find her again. It's funny. It's cute. When they finally sit down and hash things out, Carter sees El in a way that no one has in her entire life. And she's smitten. But he's even MORE smitten, all blushing and shy and reserved. It's just, so cute. I loved it.

Their adventures take them all over and turn them into spies, leading them to stalk people and follow leads, tumbling behind bushes and disabling security cameras to find out information. It felt like the sweetest action comedy sci-fi romance, and I LOVED IT.

Read if you love:
- Influencer x Men in Black
- Secret government agencies
- He falls first
- Forced proximity
- Action adventure
- Opposites attract
- Chemistry for days
- Flirty banter
- Dual POV
- Found family
- Underdogs

This one is out August 12th and I can't wait to do a reread via audio! Definitely give it a listen!

3.25 stars.

I really enjoyed Mallory Marlowe's "Love and Other Conspiracies," so I was looking forward to "Love at First Sighting." Unfortunately, this was not my favorite, but it's still not all bad! I really, really enjoyed the setup and premise of this book. It is very much a Men im Black/X-Files type of story with lots of poking fun at the government, aliens, the paranormal, etc. I enjoyed the main male character, Carter, so, so much. His whole vibe made me laugh the entire book. He is trying to find answers about the incident that killed his father when he was younger. El, an influencer with a huge reach, recently uploaded a video of a UFO chasing her onto her wildly successful social media page without warning. She might just be who he needs to solve the puzzle. I did not care for El. I am so over the 'influencer as main character' thing. I understand that being an influencer is the pinnacle of society right now (🙄🙄), but it's such a boring thing to read about when our lives are consumed with social media and the internet all day, every single second of every single day. At least El isn't *as* vapid as she could have been. She has her doubts about being an influencer, about what she wants to do with her life and her career. That makes her a little more interesting than she could have been. Still, she is a very thin, surface-level character that I did not connect with. All of the female characters in this book left a lot to be desired, honestly. It could be because of the nature of the 'influencer as a job' plot line, but all of the women here feel like huge jerks, incredibly insipid, and/or big pushovers. This book lacks the charm of the first installment. I connected with the characters and believed in their chemistry, but I did not feel that way about El and Carter. I felt like they were a "happy for now," not a "happily ever after" couple. Luckily, they do have some good banter between one another, and the last third of the book is really good, so like I said, it's not a total loss. It moves fairly quickly in terms of its pacing, and it is a light/fluffy read, not overly serious or emotional. I think there will be a great deal of people who enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mallory Marlowe, and Berkley Publishing House for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This was FANTASTIC from start to finish!!

Carter & El are complete opposites but they fit together so well you'd think the universe carved them into each others' perfect missing puzzle pieces. I loved their banter, chemistry, and more than anything else, their mutual pining. ESPECIALLY from Carter's POV. I love nothing more than a man who YEARNS!!! Carter had it bad for El from the moment he saw her UFO video on Instagram, and I love that for both of them.

I really enjoyed the aesthetic/vibes Mallory created in this book—a perfect blend of LA influencer culture and 50's noir vibes. Somehow these two very different worlds blend together in a way that really works, much like Carter and El themselves.

Carter's personality, trauma, humor, and babygirl status more than make up for the fact that he's technically a blonde man. Can't recommend this book enough!!

I had read Mallory Marlowe's previous work and had really enjoyed it. I was very excited to read her new book. This new book was very different from her previous and not in a way that I enjoyed. I felt that the characters had no real common goal. Both characters were only available to the reader at a surface level, we had no idea what they liked or disliked, or even got to know their personalities. Because of this I felt no connection to the characters or their problems. I had to force myself to get through this.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗦
El Martin is a social media influencer living in LA. One night, while trekking to the top of a mountain for a prime photo op, she goes live, sure she’s being chased by an alien!

The footage is enough to (almost) cancel her. Nobody wants to see her lose her cool and shout about Martian men.

Except Carter Brody.

He’s an agent with PIS, a full-on Man in Black, out there to keep us safe from the little green men.

Except Carter is a bit of a mess; he wants to follow in his dad’s footsteps and be an agent who would have made him proud, but mostly he fixes the coffee machine at the office.

When he’s given permission to help with El’s sighting, things go wonky. Not only is she beautiful and confident, but the thing that happened to her? It’s eerily similar to the event that changed Carter’s life 15 years ago.

Fighting the human bad guys, these two fall in love and fall into trouble.

𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
Disappointed.

The first book had such charm and was wrapped up in an unexpected premise. This one feels like trying to capture lightning in a bottle twice.

I’m not a fan of FMCs who are influencers, and the plot felt thin, the supernatural elements a barely device, and I didn’t understand why they were in love.

However. I love that Marlowe feels no need to have a third act break up - her characters communicate instead.

Also? It is just accepted that aliens are real. Chuckled at that.

𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
Beg, Borrow, or Steal with very, very light X Files/Mulder vibes

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
This one is up to you. I think it’ll work for some, and be middle of the road for many, as it was for me.

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦
Second time I got approved by Berkley, second time I was underwhelmed. This one is out 8/12/25.

*Received as a free ARC*
I requested this because I liked Marlowe's last book, but I actually liked this one even more! It wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, but that made it better. The mystery was intriguing. El and Carter were cute. No third act break up! And even the influencer stuff wasn't bad. I'd definitely recommend it to romance and mystery readers.

Thank you to Berkley and PRHA for the advanced reader/listener copies of this. All thoughts are my own!

Oh my goodness, this book had me laughing out loud so much. I absolutely adored this sophomore release from Mallory that follows El, a zillenial influencer who spotted an UFO, and Carter, the Men in Black sent to silence her. When they team up to figure out what she really saw, tensions get high and hijinks ensue.

This book was so FUNNY. There are so many great one-liners that had me stopping to pause the book so I could catch my breath. The relationship between El and Carter was so sweet that I couldn't help but be as wrapped up in these two as they were with each other. Both of them are such lonely creatures and it made my heart happy that they found each other.

It was also very refreshing to have a book with no miscommunication, no third act breakup, nothing of the sort that threatened the relationship itself. The only threat was to their lives, but even though everything was high stakes, it was always with a dose of humor that really made this such a fun read.

I highly HIGHLY recommend this on audio. Elizabeth Lamont is the GOAT and Iggy was fantastic as Carter. This is definitely up there for one of my favorites of the year so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for a digital ARC for review!

WOW. absolute cinema. Such an improvement from her last book (though this one has fun cameos of those characters which I always eat up).

Love at First Sighting is sexy, chaotic, and the romcom Men in Black book I didn’t know I needed. Watching El, a self-doubting influencer, join forces with Carter, a sweet suit-wearing agent, was more action-packed than I expected from a romance. And I loved it! Is it even love if you don’t patch up their gunshot wound?

Not a ton of alien content, but I really think the plot makes up for it— modern romcoms focus so much on the romance that the plot is overshadowed or left to be “meh,” but not here.

Highly highly recommend this if you want to see what happens when an Instagram baddie cracks down on corruption with a man who probably sleeps in his Converses.

El Martin is an influencer in LA, her entire life and social life is cleverly curated. She is on a hike taking photos for a brand deal. When she is returning to her car she is followed by a craft with flashing lights. She goes live on her socials in case anything happens to her and publicizes her encounter with the unidentified flying object. Her entire following and other influencers thinks she is having a mental breakdown, and the live post is mysteriously taken down.

In comes Agent Carter Brody from the Private Intelligence Sector, he is a real life Men in Black and is tasked with finding out what El knows and trying to discredit her or convince her she doesn't know what she saw. They both end up caught in the middle of a great mystery, and growing interest in each other.

Why was this so absurdly fun, the premise had my doubting if this could be any good, and i was defs proven wrong. I could not put this down, it was so readable, the chemistry between the characters was there, it had such a compelling plot, and the main characters had complexity. It was all around a very solid read and so so so so fun. I will defs go back and read the authors first book.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe in exchange for an honest review.

One evening, Influencer El Martin is finishing a photo shoot of herself for a promotional deal, when she has a close encounter of a terrifying kind. She's chased through the desert by a strangely-lit, flying object. She streams the event, on the off chance that she doesn't survive the encounter. Fortunately, she survives but her online brand has taken a serious hit. Followers can't decide whether she's staging a hoax or she's lost her mind. Either way, her influencer roommates are furious and she's at risk for losing the deals that define her livelihood.

But someone out there does believe her... Agent Carter Brody is a real life Man in Black, and it's his job to monitor social media for videos exactly like El's. Most he can easily debunk and those he can't, he finds ways to make go away. But El's post is different because Carter knows those lights. He knows that craft, because it was the same strange craft that chased him and his father down, shortly before his father was mysteriously killed. So between unanswered questions from past and the fact that he's basically smitten with El the second he sees her, Carter is out for answers.

What follows is a fun, sometimes sweet, sometimes suspenseful investigation into the unknown. Although skeptical at first, El joins in his search for answers and through it all, their undeniable chemistry works its magic. If you read Love and Other Conspiracies by Ms. Marlowe, you'll recognize that same romantic vibe in this story, although Love at First Sighting amps up the suspense considerably. While there is plenty of canoodling, Carter and El are also subjected to action of the violent kind too. There are a few silly scenes, mostly poking fun at the lengths influencers will go for their Internet fame, balancing the more dangerous tension.

This is a quick read that still packs a punch. Refusing to take itself too seriously, it's very entertaining. and a strong follow up to Love and Other Conspiracies. Recommended to readers who enjoyed Love/Conspiracies, for folks who wanted a better story for Agent Kay in Men in Black, and for folks who want to believe but also want a real resolution to the story.