Spies Don’t Fall for Their Asset: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (Romancing the Spy)

Jace Lancaster (a spy who normally uses the last name of Langston) is in the midst of meeting an ‘asset’ at a restaurant, when he encounters Mackenzie MacNeil having a cringe-worthy date. With her OK, he decides to intervene and ‘rescue’ her from said date, by coming up with a plausible backstory that enables her to escape without any ramifications. They part ways, never expecting to see each other again. However, shortly thereafter, Mackenzie is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and inadvertently gets placed in danger. Jace (and the FBI) decide to make sure she stays safe… and Mackenzie and Jace start spending time together. This book has awkward moments, funny moments, and heartwarming moments and is a delight from start to finish. Jace and Mackenzie have supportive community/families, which adds warmth to the story, making these characters into the kind of people who almost anyone would love to have as neighbors.

These protagonists are multi-dimensional and well-thought-out. The pacing is moderate throughout the story, with a couple of slower sections interspersed with some faster sections. The tension ramps up in places when needed, and gets broken up a bit with some funny or awkward scenes. Mackenzie has some sass, and she’s not afraid to show it. It’s somewhat implausible that Jace is employed with most of his family members, and they all get along, but somehow Meg Easton makes it work in this story. The plot has some original elements within it, and the author adds humor to what could be some very tense and dangerous situations. Nevertheless, Jace and Mackenzie end up being wonderful partners.

Carey Sullivan