there's something appealing about the premise of this book. a sapphic spy comedy where two ex-girlfriends discover they've been working for the same secret agency? that should be a recipe for chaos and chemistry. mae marvel commits fully to the concept, pulling from the energy of films like this means war or mr. and mrs. smith, clearly has fun with it. the story is packed with covert missions, european hideouts, and enough lipstick and surveillance gear to make any reader lean in.

yardley whitmer, code name "the unicorn," is a second-generation superspy with society-girl poise and a steel spine. she's legendary at the agency, but less successful at home, where her relationship with her hacker girlfriend kc nolan has fallen apart under the weight of too many lies. what yardley doesn't know is that kc - known in the field as "tabasco" - has also been working for the agency all along. when an operation goes sideways, their paths collide and all the secrets come spilling out. now they're stuck working together, pretending they're over each other while trying not to blow the mission or their hearts.

that setup had so much potential. i was ready for messiness, repressed feelings, and enemies-to-lovers energy between two women who never truly stopped loving each other. unfortunately, the execution didn't quite deliver for me. the emotional connection between yardley and kc never felt real to me. we're told there's history, attraction, resentment, desire, but i didn't feel it on the page. the tension stays surface-level, and the romantic beats are rushed or underdeveloped. there are glimmers of something more, especially in moments when their past brushes up against the present, but it never deepens in a satisfying way.

another major hurdle was the pacing. the book is too long for the story it's telling. much of the middle blurs together with repetitive mission scenes and expository moments that don't drive the characters forward. while the spy world is fleshed out and inventive, it often pulls attention away from the romance instead of enhancing it. i kept waiting for the book to settle into a rhythm where the action and the relationship would push against each other in meaningful ways, but it never quite clicked.

what works in film doesn't always work on the page, and i think that's the root of this book’s unevenness for me. in a movie, you can coast on charisma and spectacle. in a novel, you need emotional depth to carry the tension, and that's where this story felt thin. i admire the ambition and i'm always happy to see bold, queer concepts get center stage. but for me, the romance didn't land, and the spy plot, while fun, wasn't strong enough to carry the book on its own.

i really do think this book will resonate with people that primarily read romance. this wasn't a bad read, just not one that lingered with me. the concept is a standout, but the delivery was too uneven to fully enjoy.

I loved the premise of this story - a pair of ex-girlfriends that didn't know each other were spies on the same team? Sign me up!

I’ve previously read work by Mae Marvel and enjoyed it, but I think the spy genre here wasn’t really for me. I found myself easily distracted and not fully involved in that part of the story, but I imagine other readers wouldn’t have that experience.

I think this was such a fun quick audiobook and I truly enjoyed it. It was easy to follow along with and the FMC was so cool

Okay, hear me out—this one had me at “sapphic Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” The concept? ✨Delightful✨ Two women. Both spies. Both in love. Neither knows the other is also leading a double life. 👀



The setup screams tension and danger, right? And while the emotional stakes and personal growth hit hard with a ton of internal conflict and romantic vulnerability, the spy side of things never quite brought the tension I was hoping for. I kept waiting for high-stakes moments where the mission might jeopardize their relationship or—one of their lives. But the danger just never dialed up.



That said, if you’re here for slow-burn romance with a bit of heat, queer representation, and emotional depth with a side of espionage, this will be a total win for you. Just don’t go in expecting non-stop spy thrills.

Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved Mae Marvel's first novel and was so excited to be offered another sapphic romance! This book had it all - mystery, intrigue, "enemies to lovers", and more! The characters were great, the story held my attention, and the spice was fun! The narration was great on this one.

Thank you again for the ARC!

If I Told You I’d Have to Kiss You, by Mae Marvel, is a different sort of spy story. Yardley Whitmer, known in spy circles as the Unicorn, is on the verge of a break up with her girlfriend KC Nolan, a computer geek. On a serious mission to discover the whereabouts of a computer code that can take down the grid, agent Tabasco guides Unicorn to gather information and evidence. When the next step is to meet with the seller of this code puts Unicorn in a precarious situation, Tobasco comes rushing to her aide, and the two women come face to face, exposing the secrets they each were keeping.

As Yardley and KC become embroiled in the mission and work with several others they can trust, they endeavor to recover the code, ensnare the traitors, and engage KC’s hacker counterpart from when they were merely teens.

In the style of all good spy stories, this novel follows suit, but in somewhat different ways. This sapphic tale brings a different perspective to this type of story and is a good choice for Pride Month to broaden horizons. It is a good story for those who enjoy this genre.

This was my first spy romance and I have to say it was a fun read. It had a good mix of romance and mystery. If you are looking for a spy plot with lots of twists and turns this is not it. But the relationship between or two FMCs was so good. The tension, draw and resulting spice kept you wanting to read more. If you are looking for a good sapphic book for pride month (or any month) I highly recommend picking this up.

Yardley Whitmer is a second-generation spy, code name “the Unicorn.” KC Nolan is a hacker extraordinaire, code name “Tabasco.” When an undercover operation goes wrong, Yardley and KC discover that they are Unicorn and Tabasco and have been working together with the agency for years. Can they salvage their relationship as they work together and get to know each other’s true selves?

I really loved the premise of this one. Sapphic spies that work together on a mission, sign me up. The cover and title also drew me in. Unfortunately, the execution fell a bit flat for me. I honestly didn’t love either character and felt they were both underdeveloped. I wish the story had been written from alternating first-person point of views instead of third person. I did enjoy the narration from Mia Hutchison-Shaw. I do recommend the audio if you want to try this one. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Unfortunately this book fell far short of what it could have been. I felt like the characters fell flat and the plot was boring despite being action/spy themed. Overall the writing style was not for me and if this were not an ARC that I was committed to finishing, I would have DNF’ed it.

Yes! This book was super fun! Angst. Spies. Second chances. This book had it all. The plot was well thought out. Lots of good conflict. All the feels with this book!! The journey back together for Yardley and KC was unique and special,
We do spend a lot of time in the characters’ heads reflecting on everything. It might have been a bit too much at times. Other than that, I loved this one!
The narrator is phenomenal! She has this way of making you feel every emotion the characters are feeling! I received this book from Macmillan audio and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book blends sapphic romance with high-stakes espionage. We follow two spies, Yardley and KC, who are ex-girlfriends compelled to reunite when a critical mission goes sideways.

The book delivers solid espionage thrills with well-paced action scenes. This really reminds me of a lot of the spy movies I grew up on. Given the classic secret-agency trope, you definitely need to be okay with a large amount of suspension of belief.

The romance contains unresolved tension from their past and steamy make-up moments. Though marketed as a romance set in a spy world, the spy elements eclipse the relationship rebuilding. The romantic tension felt undercooked, with more mission-centric narrative than heart‑to‑heart growth. I wanted more from the romance.

Ultimately, if you really enjoy a spy-heavy read or sapphic second chance books, this one’s for you. It is a fun read, but definitely not too serious.

Two women on the brink of losing each other find each other again, and build back better and with full integrity. Really like the communication in this story, which is ironic considering before they found out they both are spies, these ladies were lacking in the comms department. They really grow into their emotional intimacy. Past the romance, the plot was high stakes action packed espionage.

The narrator did a fantastic job playing two distinct characters, plus, spy = multiple accents, and they nailed it.

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan audio for a copy of the ARC!

Sapphic Spies…I repeat…SAPPHIC SPIES!!

I had a fun time listening to this audiobook! This was also my second book narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw this week and she is quickly becoming a new favorite narrator! Her voice is expressive and easy to listen to.

I loved the plot of this one but didn’t see too much of a comparison to Mr & Mrs Smith besides the fact that both MCs are spies and are unaware they are in the same spy agency and there is some deeper conspiracy to uncover. Don’t go into this thinking the characters are going to be turned against one another/need to fight the other.

But don’t let that deter you from reading this one~just know what to expect when going in. This might be a romance but I thought the plot to romance ratio was pretty even and really enjoyed how detailed the missions/action were…though it did get to be a bit repetitive in the middle.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the audiobook copy through NetGalley!

This a mile a minute action spy novel. I could absolutely see this book being made into a movie because the audiobook felt like a movie. This was so much fun and the “they are both spies” trope is great way to introduce conflict without making them obnoxious about not communicating with each other.
The narrator did a great job though I will say I would have preferred this being a duet since there were so many female points of view that there were times that I forgot who was telling the story because the voice was the same for everyone. For a single narrator this was very well done.

A renowned CIA agent and her techie girlfriend are in the midst of a breakup when an op goes wrong and they suddenly realize they're both spies--and the agency has been keeping their identities from each other. Now, forced to work together right as they reckon with all the lies they've been keeping, they'll have to decide what matters more: being the perfect spy or living the life they've always wanted. This was cute, but the pacing in the third act felt off. I wish it had really leaned into the spy thriller aspect as well as the romance.

Overall, I had an enjoyable time listening to this, particularly the spy parts. I struggled a bit with the romance- I didn’t personally feel like there was much tension between the MCs. It was thinking about the past and then felt like a sudden switch to “newly in love”. Other people might like that, but I just didn’t feel the tension I would have expected when two peole who still have feelings for each other are working together (and “talking” and such).

As for the narration, the voice was soothing to listen to, but there were a few times where I struggled to know which MC was talking (had to back up a few times to listen to short sections again).

I have no regrets listening to it, but there are starting to be more sapphic romances out there (yay!), and this one was good, but there are others I’d recommend first.

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel
Contemporary sapphic romance.
Yardley Whitmer is a spy. Second generation. Her skills have made her one of the elite in the business. With the spy business comes a lot of security clearance which means she can’t talk about what she does to anyone besides her direct coworkers. This has made her relationships difficult since she can’t say where she’s been, what she’s doing or even commit to future events. Lies don’t make a relationship easy and she holds herself back because of the job.
KC Nolan, aka Tabasco, is in love with Yardley but can’t seem to get through to her. Her job as a hacker for the government doesn’t make it easy either since she can’t share much. When she and Yardley end up on the floor of the Starbucks trying to protect each other, it becomes apparent they work for the same company and someone’s been manipulating them. They team up to find both the betrayer and discuss their feelings while doing a bit of undercover work at the same time. They can handle it. They are the best in the game.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook which is narrated by Mia Hutchison-Shaw. A phenomenal performance with distinct sounds and emotions for the two main characters and several secondary. The tempo was pleasing even while there were arguments and spy stuff going on. While the POV changes with chapters, it’s not hard to follow since the book is third person. The performance ramps up the tension as the situation between the two proceeded. And grows steamy with the sexy scenes.
I did speed up the playback to 1.5 and slightly higher so I could read along with the audiobook.

Loved the two females in the spy game. Clearly each had excelled in their careers. Didn’t like the lying they had to do for security reasons. Great job on tracking the villain and adored the final scenes. Plenty of steamy scenes too for a romance.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

This is my first experience with Mae Marvel—literary and life partners Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare. I first finished reading If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You with my eyes in April. While rereading the book in early June—this time with my ears—I found myself marking additional passages, as well as revisiting some passages that had caught my attention during my first reading. During both readings, I not only highlighted quite a few passages, but also made notes of emphasis or agreement. As I have a final print copy of the book in my hot little hands [more on that later], I could share quotes with you . . . but, I would have a beast of a time picking just one quote, and I don't want to spoil anything. If you come across sections that you find especially striking, I'd love to hear from you—we could have a remote book discussion. I enjoyed Mia Hutchison-Shaw's excellent narration, which gave extra life to the story's diverse characters, some of which I had imagined slightly differently. Both experiences (e-book and audio) were enjoyable and valuable. People absorb input in different ways, for many reasons. Aren't we lucky that we have options that meet us where we are at any given time?!

There's a lot going on in Kiss You, as I affectionately (or lazily?) have come to call it. It isn't just a spy story. It isn't just a romance. And it for darn sure isn't a surface-level story. It's sexy, erotic, intimate, suspenseful, action-packed, and sometimes really funny—usually in a clever, sassy, or snarky way. There are spy gadgets, disguises, chases, escapes, vehicles galore, and teamwork; feminist and sociopolitical commentary; love, romance, trust, and deep relationships of all kinds; and competent, skilled, bold, powerful, and strong women in various roles. There are Southern expressions that bring situations to another level. Beyond main characters Yardley and KC, there is an extraordinary cast of supporting characters including (but not limited to) Irish hacker Kris; Yardley's and KC's handlers, Atlas and Gramercy; the first Black woman president of the United States of America, Ada Williams; and British agent Julia.

I found the strongly fem POV of the book refreshing. On top of that, for far too long, there hasn't been representation of so many people I love—and so many more I haven't yet met. I'm overjoyed to see greater representation of people of all types in books for folks of all ages.

Content warnings include death of a parent (in the past and mentioned in passing), neglectful or emotionally abusive parents, family abandonment, infidelity, and at least a couple explicit sex scenes.

While I wrote this review based solely on the notes I made while reading, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend a book discussion with Mae Marvel on the Sunday before publication. My thoughtful partner was looking for signed editions of books I've mentioned to him [more than in passing—I don't think he keeps up with all the books I read, and I wouldn't expect him to] and discovered that the authors were scheduled to appear at a romance-only indie bookstore in his hometown—Love's Sweet Arrow, in Tinley Park, Illinois. We spent a delightful afternoon listening to Mae Marvel talk about their books, writing process, marriage, and family. Author Becca Grischow moderated. Now I have additional books from all three authors to read. 4.5⭐

Thank you, @macmillan.audio for my free audiobook. #MacAudio2025 #macmillanaudio

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 344 / Genre: Spy Romance
Audiobook Narrator: Mia Hutchison-Shaw
Duration: 11 hours 27 minutes
Release Date: June 10, 2025
🥳#HappyPubWeek!🎉

Yardley Whitmer, AKA Unicorn, is a super spy at the top of her game. KC Nolan, AKA Tabasco, is a hacker extraordinaire who can hack into anything legally or not. Their relationship just ended because they couldn’t be honest with each other about their jobs. Still smarting from their breakup, they both get pulled into the same case, uncovering their real identities to each other.

The premise of this story is right up my alley. Watching this couple work together for the first time, really shows how compatible and perfect for each other they are. But instead of enjoying the revelation that they were both holding back because of their jobs, they just whine and moan about how untruthful they were to each other. So even the love scenes were ruined by sudden bursts of feelings, where instead of exploding in orgasms, they start crying over what their relationship means. Ugh, really? So, the spy action part of this story was awesome—four stars. The relationship two stars. Ergo, three stars overall for me.

Mia Hutchison-Shaw did a great job narrating the audiobook, although I’d rather read this one so I can skim over all the whining.