I enjoyed this way more than I thought I was going to. This is a Ms and Ms Smith story, after recently breaking up, learning the truth about each other was such an interesting story. it really feels like the characters have good chemistry and banter, but are also learning new things about each other simultaneously. Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, for the chance to listen to this audiobook for an honest review.

🌶️⌚️💖🖥️🦄

sly, sexy, & sapphic!

This was a quick fun listen! The plot was full of fantastic action sequences, and hot take (!!), I didn’t mind their romance taking a backseat to Yardley and KC saving the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!! 🫶🏼

I absolutely LOVED this second chance, Sapphic, dual POV, spy romance that has the best Mr and Mrs Smith vibes in which two female CIA operatives realize they are both in the company and find themselves forced to work together to retrieve a device that could end the world. Full of suspense and tons of emotional depth/growth. It was also great on audio narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw and perfect for fans of authors like Ally Carter or books like The confidence games. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a wildly entertaining rom-com that blends espionage and second-chance sapphic romance. There's CIA secrets, international missions, and mistaken identities, perfectly woven into an emotionally vulnerable and simmering romance. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to exploring more titles from this author duo.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

If I Told You, I’d have to kiss you
By Mae Marvel
Narrated By Mia Hutchinson-Shaw

If you are looking for that Mr and Mrs Smith style book look no further. While a bit repetitive in parts I still enjoyed this audiobook. The chemistry between these two main characters and all the thrilling twists and turns kept me on my toes. I kept wondering what was next until the very last page!

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. All words are my own.

This one was really interesting.

I liked how the book started out and the shock both characters felt when the discover the truth.

Now I ewnjoyed the plot but the romance stuff? Felt forced and actually made it less enjoyable. Had they met and fallen... yeah I could have done that.

Being exes... It didn't work for me.

The audio was good though.

3.5 stars

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.

🧡 Bookish Thoughts
Mrs. Smith x Mrs. Smith, but sapphic and way more fun.
This was such an entertaining read. I adored KC and Yardley. KC "Tabasco" Nolan stole my heart immediately! Mostly because because Tabasco is my go-to hot sauce 🤣

Don't overthink the book, you probably won't enjoy it if you do. Is it far fetched that two spies living together and dating for three years wouldn’t know they were both spies? Probably. But it was seriously funny and cute. It honestly felt like a sapphic action comedy I’d binge on a chill Friday night. Light, funny, and entertaining. The audiobook was great too. I would definitely recommend listening.

💌 What You Can Expect:
• Sapphic spy romance
• Second chance
• Secret identities
• Forced proximity

📖 Final Score: 4.5 stars
📆 Pub Date: June 10, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

• yardley (a spy with the code name ‘the unicorn’ who is known for her craft) and kc (a skilled hacker known as ‘tabasco’) are both lying to each other about their jobs, and their relationship has crumbled as a result. but when an undercover mission goes awry & their identities are revealed, the pair decide to team up to right what went wrong. can the two fight thru all the lies & betrayal, and fall for the truer versions of each other?
• this book read really quickly as the intrigue built over the case the pair were assigned to.
• i think ultimately, this book struggled to decide if it wanted to primarily be a romcom or a fun spy novel, and somehow didn’t quite do either genre full justice. i went in hoping for a more interesting & nuanced romance plotline but was left wanting more.

This really had me from the start. A fun, sapphic take on Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets second chance romance. I enjoyed both main characters, their spy alter egos, and the realistic way that a relationship would be doomed to fail if you could never tell your partner the full truth.

Unfortunately, this started to fall apart as the plot unfolded and became increasingly hard to follow. It might have been harder to follow on audio with only a single narrator voicing both POVs. Even though she did a great job pulling off American Southern and Irish accents, I would often forget from which POV the story was from. This might be a rare case where I would have understood the book better had I read a physical copy and could have paged back to refresh my memory or follow certain plot threads a bit better.

Overall, this was a bit of a mixed bag. I enjoyed the characters and the romance elements, but couldn't follow much of the actual spy plot.

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw is perfection in bringing Yardley and KC to life. This story is so much more than I expected with the Mrs. and Mrs. Smith vibes throughout. These two characters have been lying to and about so much that at this point they aren't entirely sure if they were ever truly living. Mae Marvel has a knack for storytelling that draws you in and won't let you go.

Thank you Net galley for the ARC!
I was hooked the minute tabasco and unicorn discovered who they were to each other.
I had all the feelings while reading this one.
the mention of the origin of the watch had me a little teary eyed.

If I Told You I’d Have to Kiss You is a fun sapphic spy novel with a unique premise — two women in a long-term relationship each hiding the fact that they’re spies. The setup is ridiculous, but kind of great, and I was on board for the mix of action, romance, and identity-reveal chaos.

The book blends sharp action sequences with relationship drama, and I appreciated that both sides of the story got attention. There’s some genuine emotional growth for both leads, and their reconnection felt earned. That said, the pacing was slow at times and I occasionally found it hard to follow what was going on — particularly in the more technical or twist-heavy moments. There’s also a fair amount of suspension of disbelief required, but that comes with the territory in a spy novel like this.

Some of the secondary characters stood out — Kris in particular was a highlight — and their interactions gave the story a bit more depth. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mia Hutchison-Shaw, who did an incredible job with her narration. Both characters had their own distinct voice so it helped with knowing who was talking (as this book is written in third person POV).

Overall, it’s a clever, fast-talking spy romance that offers something a little different. Not perfect, but definitely entertaining.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, fast paced, spicy. It had everything you want from a Mrs. and Mrs. Smith type story. And they actually talked about things instead of letting them fester, so refreshing! I was riveted the whole way through.

The narrator of the audiobook did a great job differentiating the characters by voice, so it wasn't too hard to figure out who was talking at any time.

Definitely recommend to those who want a fun, fast-paced, sapphic romance.

Received a free copy through NetGalley.

Spice Level: 1/5 Open / Closed Door

Yardley Whitmer, aka “The Unicorn,” is a CIA agent who has as many accents as she does wigs to provide cover. As successful as she has been in her “spy” career, she has equally failed in her personal life.

KC Nolan, aka “Tobasco,” is a CIA hacker AND tech guru who moonlights as a coder / developer. Just like Yardley, she has been successful in her “spy” career, but has equally failed in her personal life.

Another thing they have in common is that they have no idea what each other’s day job is and their secrets are what’s causing their relationship failures, even though they do have love for each other. Chance would have it that KC puts herself on the line to save Yardley from a sticky situation. Only, they learn at that time that they’ve been working together in the CIA. This dangerous situation leads to them trekking around Europe trying to stop a computer virus that could wreck a lot of infrastructure.

I “read” this as an audiobook. I definitely want to give credit to the narrator, Mia Hutchison-Shaw for the voicework on this audiobook. While reading, she swapped between different accents for the characters. Managing one, I imagine, is difficult enough, but at least 3 and sometimes two during one scene. Massive credit!!

The premise of the story was intriguing for me as I hadn’t come across many spy type books in the sapphic genre. That really gravitated me towards this story. I enjoyed the twists and turns that this book provided. I also really enjoyed the way that Yardley and KC were able to discover the love that they once held (and still do) for each other while trying to stop the havoc.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to @macmillan.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You has such a fun and promising premise—sapphic spies, secret identities, and a mission gone sideways? I was immediately intrigued by the concept, the title, and the vibrant cover.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to its potential. While the setup was exciting, I struggled to connect with Yardley and KC. Both characters felt a bit underdeveloped, and I found myself wanting more depth and emotional nuance from their relationship. I also think the story might have benefited from alternating first-person perspectives to bring us closer to each character’s inner world—third-person narration created a bit of distance that made it harder to fully engage.

That said, Mia Hutchison-Shaw’s narration in the audiobook was a highlight. Her performance added warmth and personality to the story, and I’d definitely recommend the audio format if you’re curious to give this one a try.

3 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio #ifitoldyouidhavetokissyou #marmarvel #miahutchinsonshaw

“If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You” reads like a sapphic Kim Possible re-telling. This fun, action-packed story follows a super-spy and her ex-girlfriend/hacker extraordinaire. The two decided to go their separate ways… only for their secret missions to overlap and for the two to realize they still had a lot to learn about one another.

This one contained a bit too much action and spice for me, making it feel long. It’s a fun plot, but could have been significantly shortened.

Thank you to Mae Marvel, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

They're both spies!!! This was a good read. I definitely recommend it if you like this type of book.

This thrilling secret agent story is the perfect Pride Month read—combining edge-of-your-seat espionage with a heartfelt and passionate romance that breaks all the usual spy story molds. Set mostly across stunning European cities, the narrative sweeps you into a high-stakes race to save the world, but it’s the authentic, beautifully written love story that truly steals the show.

The romance here isn’t just a side note—it’s a powerful, genuine connection that adds real emotional depth to the fast-paced action. Whether it’s tender moments between missions or sparks flying during daring escapes, the relationship shines as brightly as the heroics.

Celebrating courage, identity, and love in all its forms, this story is a brilliant mix of suspense and heart, perfect for Pride Month and beyond. If you love your spy thrillers with a side of romance and representation, this one’s for you.

This book was a solid 3 star. I felt that this book could have given more. I felt that it was trying too hard to be a LGBT+ novel and then threw in the plot instead of having a solid plot and then expanding on that plot with the relationship between the two FMCs. I really wanted to get to know the plot and have a cool spy story but felt like that fell through the cracks a little.

Now for the narration. This was very well done. The narrator Mia Hutchison-Shaw did a great job bringing the story to life. such a well-done job.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.