Title: The Librarian and the Spy
Author: Susan Mann
Format: ebook
Genre: Romantic suspense
Standalone yes ish
Part of a Series: Librarian/Spy Escapades book 1
POV: Quinn
Steam Level: some but not much
4/5

The Librarian and the Spy is cute. The story itself is a complete story but the last chapter opens it up for more books in this series. Quinn is a librarian who loves reading spy novels. The youngest of six, with five older brothers and Marine father, Quinn can take care of herself. When a handsome man comes into the library she works at and asks for her help in figuring out the value of an artifact, she's drawn into a world of intrigue and suspense. I kind of figured out the big reveal at the very end early on but then forgot about it since it wasn't relevant to the story, just the larger world. Overall this was a fun and easy read that kept my interest.

I received this book for free from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I started reading this and spent so much time saying "oh, no" that I had to stop. It's hard to read about librarians this way.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. Not as in depth as some of the other books I enjoy, but rather, a fun and funny read. The aspect of the novel that I particularly enjoyed was James- And that was when he wasn't playing Bond. It was, rather his cute boy-next-door quality that had me smiling throughout the novel. And where he seems lost, Quinn makes up for in Spades. She's funny and smart, sure of herself, and great to have when you're in a tough spot. He can rely on her and she trusts him implicitly. Great qualities for a tag-team. I can't wait to see what comes next for them and their unusual qualities.

This is a sweet, cozy-yet-thrilling spy romance. Sometimes the writing tells more than it shows, but overall the pacing is good. The characters are believable but I wish (spoiler). The romance is fun, and the plot isn't just an incidental addition between romps in bed. The author has clearly done her research. I had an idea that the ending twist would be what it was, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment at all (though I figured out early on how Quinn (spoiler)). Don't be put off by the pink cover. You'll fall for the characters and enjoy this little escapade. I'm looking forward to more of Quinn and James!

First in a new series The Librarian and the Spy features some great characters. Quinn Ellington and James Lockwood connect from the very first meeting. Quinn is a reference librarian and James is not who he says he is. Mann does a great job plotting how the two go from help with reference questions to on the run for their lives. I loved the action. An extra plus was using the skills a librarian uses every day to solve the mystery of the missing weapons.

While this book was fast paced and full of excitement, I was totally confused when I read about the paint ball battle in the backyard. I don't see how it related to the book or story and it didn't have a smooth transition into that chapter. It was so confusing as to what was going and and then how it applied to the rest of the book. Otherwise the book and characters were great! I loved a the secret spy stuff and the working undercover but then she fell in love with James. It was so sweet to see that relationship develop and to see she trusted him when it really mattered. Overall, great story and really fun and interesting characters! Can't wait to read more from this author!!

This is a great book; this is the first book in the Librarian and the Spy Escapade series written by Susan Mann. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

I secretly want to be a librarian, and if there are handsome spies and international adventures waiting, I need to get on that! Quinn was a nerdy, yet awesome, and James was the stuff dreams are made of. The plot was a little unbelievable, but still intriguing and captivating.

This is a charming and entertaining read, it had me laughing out loud and turning the pages as fast as possible. I loved the characters & learned about how reference librarians do their job. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.

A librarian’s journey from the checkout desk to fast cars, stolen treasures, and international intrigue / with an introduction by suave, handsome “insurance” agent James Lockwood.

Adventure-hungry Quinn Ellington’s job solving mundane mysteries for library patrons entangles her in a mission to decode the whereabouts of a weapons cache from a priceless work of art before arms dealers beat her to it. Her adventure is filled with twists, turns, and a budding romance. Transcontinental pursuit, daring rescues, and intense covert flirting follow.

1. Spies—attractive. 2. London—criminal networks. 3. London—Harry Potter references. 4. Libraries—secrets of. 5. Best friends—nosy.
I. Ellington, Quinn.




Review:




After four paranormal romances in a row this was a welcome break.




This was just a fun, action, mystery romance adventure.




This looks to be the first offering from this Author and I think she hit it out of the park. This was just fun to read. I loved both Quinn and James! They are smart and complex with a little sarcasm and wit to make them more interesting. Though for those looking for super sexy, this is more of a sweet heat romance that builds as the story goes on. The chemistry is there but they are smart and know they need to keep their heads while doing their research. That is another thing I like about the story...that Quinn is a librarian and is pulled into the spy world while helping James, who is a spy, obviously from the title. The story kind of reminds me a little of, okay I am going to date myself, the Goldie Hawn/Chevy Chase movie, Foul Play without the slapstick comedy. I loved that movie as a kid. I am not going to give away a lot because I hate doing that. I did guess who might be behind Quinn getting drawn into this. The ending was very satisfying and I am glad James and Quinn will be continuing their adventures.




Wonderful escapism, with a librarian and a sexy spy.




4.5Stars




*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

The Librarian and the Spy is a cute story with a fun premise that didn’t quite meet its potential. It’s a book I desperately wanted to like, mostly because author Susan Mann includes enough detail about Quinn’s job as a librarian to delight my bibliophile self. But while there’s a wonderful amount of trivia in this story, the actual plot dragged, the romance was missing spark, and the characters never came alive on the page. It took me a long time to get into this story, mostly because the plot took some time to find its footing. And while Quinn and James are certainly likeable, they never felt three-dimensional to me. Their romance is sweet, but again, was missing something. I felt a lot of the romance was a case of tell rather than show, which could have been part of the problem. As for the action, there was no real sense of danger or excitement when it came to the espionage work, and overall I was just left wanting more.

The Librarian and the Spy isn’t a bad book, only disappointing in that it could have been so much better had the characters and the world come to life. It had the potential to do so, for Ms. Mann’s writing definitely shines in any scene involving research. I absolutely loved those bits because I could feel Quinn’s excitement come through the page and I loved the way her mind worked. There’s also a fun twist at the end of the story that left me smiling and feeling optimistic about Quinn’s future. So while The Librarian and the Spy wasn’t quite my cup of tea, there is enough potential to the series that I’d like to read A Covert Affair.

While the title and blurb caught my eye, I ended up putting the book aside at the 10% mark. Not far enough in to really get a good idea of what was good/bad in the book, I admit, but I wasn't feeling the story, wasn't connecting to the writing, and was just bored. I might come back to it another time, perhaps in a different mood, but for now, this one is a DNF for me.

Review: THE LIBRARIAN AND THE SPY by Susan Mann http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-8vZ
Publication Date: April 25, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars

This was a fun romp through a mystery, with unique clues at every turn. It would be the perfect book for those that like their romantic suspense light and not so steamy. It’s a true librarian’s novel as well, so be prepared for a lot of book cataloging and research information. I thought it bogged it down at one point, then just enjoyed that it was a big part of the mystery. My other comment would be that James, a spy, would be more confident with a woman. That being said, it was a fun story.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The moment James Lockwood walks into Quinn Ellington's library, she's a goner! He comes in asking for her help and from there things get super exciting for Quinn! Living as a librarian doesn't rank high on the adventure seeking job's list, but Quinn has an eye for research and quirky trivia facts, so she absolutely loves the library! James starts working side by side with Quinn to research artifacts for insurance, James claims. Little does Quinn know, James is really a spy and undercover trying to get to the bottom of a mystery.

Before we know it, Quinn is marked and James has to come clean in order to protect her. She's embroiled in the "op" and living a fast and crazy dream!

Susan Mann has written a highly entertaining, fast-paced read in The Librarian and the Spy! I loved how their work relationship started and progressed to friends and progressed on from there! Both characters were quite likeable! Quinn was so enthusiastic about the library and what it offers! She's top-notch, quick to remember things, and very determined to help James any way she can. She's also enamored with the suave James!

James is quite the spy and instantly taken with Quinn, but he has a job to do. His cover as a British insurance agent has Quinn wrapped around his finger. Quinn surprises James left and right and he's quite startled about that. He also becomes very protective of her. Especially when she joins him on the op and has the potential to be hurt-it was really sweet and endearing!

The book was so well written that I was immersed in the story in no time and read continuously! I had to see what was going to happen!! Plus Quinn and James chemistry was heating up! I love the story that was crafted, but he only thing I would have liked would've been a bit more spiciness to the story! I don't necessarily mind a clean read, but I like them just a little bit dirty at least! That being said, I highly recommend this book! I loved it and I look forward to further adventures of my favorite librarian and spy duo!!

reviewed by Deb

The Librarian and the Spy by Susan Mann was a thoroughly enjoyable book to spend a quiet afternoon.

Although the book started out slowly to introduce the reader to Quinn Ellington. I believe that this thorough introduction to Quinn could have been a little shorter. However, once the mystery began in earnest the plot took off. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to read what was happening next. All of the characters were well developed and the family dynamics within Quinn's family was warm, loving and often humorous. After all, Quinn was raised with five older brothers. James Lockwood/Anderson is not your typical Alpha hero. However, he is an excellent spy who has experience in the field and worked with Quinn as an equal to solve the mystery.
I am looking forward to getting to know him better as this series continues.
As this is book one in a new series I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next one since this allowed me to enjoy an afternoon filled with mystery, a little suspense, a little romance and laughter.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Zebra Shout via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

The moment James Lockwood walks into Quinn Ellington's library, she's a goner! He comes in asking for her help and from there things get super exciting for Quinn! Living as a librarian doesn't rank high on the adventure seeking job's list, but Quinn has an eye for research and quirky trivia facts, so she absolutely loves the library! James starts working side by side with Quinn to research artifacts for insurance, James claims.  Little does Quinn know, James is really a spy and undercover trying to get to the bottom of a mystery.

Before we know it, Quinn is marked and James has to come clean in order to protect her.  She's embroiled in the "op" and living a fast and crazy dream!

Susan Mann has written a highly entertaining, fast-paced read in The Librarian and the Spy!  I loved how their work relationship started and progressed to friends and progressed on from there!  Both characters were quite likeable! Quinn was so enthusiastic about the library and what it offers!  She's top-notch, quick to remember things, and very determined to help James any way she can. She's also enamored with the suave James!

James is quite the spy and instantly taken with Quinn, but he has a job to do. His cover as a British insurance agent has Quinn wrapped around his finger.  Quinn surprises James left and right and he's quite startled about that. He also becomes very protective of her. Especially when she joins him on the op and has the potential to be hurt-it was really sweet and endearing!

The book was so well written that I was immersed in the story in no time and read continuously!  I had to see what was going to happen!!   Plus Quinn and James chemistry was heating up! I love the story that was crafted, but he only thing I would have liked would've been a bit more spiciness to the story! I don't necessarily mind a clean read, but I like them just a little bit dirty at least!  That being said, I highly recommend this book! I loved it and I look forward to further adventures of my favorite librarian and spy duo!!

5 Stars/1 Flame

This book was gifted to me for an honest review.  The review and rating are solely my own opinions.

I have just read an absolutely charming and entertaining start to a new series called The Librarian and the Spy (Librarian and the Spy Escapade #1) by Susan Mann. Not only did I love all of the characters, I learned many things I never knew about reference librarians and their jobs. This book had me laughing out loud and turning the pages as fast as possible as the mystery and suspense took off.
Quinn Ellington is a reference librarian who loves her job solving questions for her library patrons, but she also longs to travel and experience adventures like her favorite spy thriller heroes introduced to her by her grandfather. She hates all the stereotypes of librarians because she grew up as a military brat with a Marine father who taught her to shot and three older brothers that she has always completed with.
On an ordinary day at work, insurance agent James Lockwood comes up to the desk and asks Quinn for her help researching some pieces from a private collection. Quinn can’t believe her luck because not only is James gorgeous, but he has a British accent to die for. As Quinn becomes more involved in helping James, she realizes that all this research is not simply for insurance purposes and James has not been completely truthful with her. He is not British and he is not an insurance agent.
As Quinn and James work together to solve an important puzzle to stop an international arms dealer from acquiring nuclear material, Quinn’s intelligence and abilities become a major asset. She is very capable of thinking on her feet and James becomes even more impressed.
Their cover and flirting as a married couple leads to real feelings that they try to control until the end of their mission. This story has a lot of witty banter, flirting and a steady buildup of their chemistry to a relationship. No sex until the end and it is behind closed doors when it does happen. Even when the plot has been resolved, there is a great twist at the end of the book.
I really enjoyed this book and I was very happy to see that it is a proposed series and not a standalone. I was impressed by the fact that this is Ms. Mann’s first book. A fast paced plot, interesting facts, and entertaining characters make this worth the read. I am looking forward to James and Quinn’s next outing!
Thanks very much to Kensington Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I am looking forward to many more books in this series.

A very tame romance featuring a public librarian who is pulled into an intrigue by a handsome stranger who needs her mad research skills. Basically ridiculous wish fulfillment and way too long. The twist at the end made me forgive some of the earlier ridiculousness, but I do not think I will be continuing on with this series.

A thoroughly delightful afternoon's read. Both the H/h were well drawn, and well suited for their roles. Looking forward to reading more of Ms Mann's work.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1926409593?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1