4.5 stars lovely and warm stars

This is the story of Wyatt, a man who worked as a spy and his first weeks of transition to a civilian live. And Blake, the woman he meet at the airport. They get together, not knowing they will meet again, as he comes to live in her small town, in the house his aunt left him. Little do they know they will be paired together for a big contest where her science meets his art, and through this journey both of them will gain something. And each other.

This was a lovely story, pretty slow paced, but not a low burn as their first encounter is the opening of the book. It was a leisure story, one that didn't keep you on your toes but that drew a nice, steady rhythm by mixing romance, friendships and personal discoveries.

Both character were so easy to like. Wyatt with his big heart and caring personality and Blake with her fight of letting go the pressure and embracing what she truly was passionate about. I felt at times both of them got a bit too lost in thought, but maybe this added to their personality. Then there was the supporting act, so many lovely additions to the story and to their circle of friends.

What I liked the most about this book is the romantic relationship it portrays. Emerging from a hot encounter, it developed into an exercise on keeping the distance, then merged into a beautiful friendship to come to a full encompassing romance. The way Wyatt and Blake were together, so effortless, so understanding, so supporting to one another, both so keen to understand each others subtilities, it's a beautiful depiction of a wonderful relationship. This was beautiful to read!

I received a copy of this in order to offer my personal view on it.

Spy romance? Sign me up! I think my only complaint would be that this was too short! I think it was an intentional short story but I really liked it. I loved the chemistry between Wyatt and Blake and really enjoyed this!

This was a quick and fun read about Blake Montgomery, a researcher, and Wyatt Keene, a spy, who have a one-night stand. They are both shocked when, the next day, they see each other again and end up paired together for a new project at her work. Wyatt has just left his role in the government where he’s been a spy abroad for most of his adult life. Forced into retirement and now a civilian, he doesn’t exactly know what to do with himself. A talented artist, he is part of a competition at Blake’s work. Blake is a workaholic and has little time for much else. But when the two are paired together, they both come to realize that there’s more to life than work.

Wyatt and Blake have great chemistry from their first meeting, and you can tell there’s a strong connection between them. I love their easy banter and flirtations and how supportive Wyatt is of Blake and her work. There were times I wanted to shake Blake, particularly how insensitive she is about art and artists. She seemed a little judgmental, but I think as she learns more about Wyatt’s craft and talent, she becomes less single-minded in her views.

The story mostly takes place in a small town in Maine, which I loved. I’m always a sucker for a small town, and the citizens of this one are great. I enjoyed the secondary characters and how many of them welcome Wyatt so easily. It sounds like a charming place to live, and it’s extra special that Wyatt now lives in his aunt’s home.

The story has a bit of suspense too, but it’s not the focus of the novel. It added a bit of tension to the story, though I wish this aspect was a bit more developed. The focus really is on Wyatt and Blake and their growth, both as individuals and as a possible couple. I found Wyatt’s story really interesting, as he struggled with his new civilian life and seems a bit untethered. Being with Blake, living in this welcoming community, and living in his beloved aunt’s home definitely changes him.

Overall, I thought this was a quick and fun read. It’s not super spicy, but there are some sexy scenes. Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Entangled Publishing for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

The (Ex) Spy Who (Maybe) loved me is a light-hearted novel about Blake Montgomery and Wyatt Keene, a researcher and a former spy, and their ensuing love story. There's instance chemistry between Blake and Wyatt, and the banter between them is really amusing and fun to read about. This book is a fun flirty read that is easy to knock out on a beach vacation or a long weekend.

It was fun to have the suspense of Wyatt's former career hanging over the plot leaving you unsure if danger will approach around any corner. Blake is a classic workaholic whereas Wyatt is adjusting to civilian life and they bring the best out of each other while learning more about themselves. The plot is intriguing and leaves you wanting to read more to find out what happens next!

Now we come to the things I had a problem with:
-Overall the characters felt a little cliche. Typical workaholic woman who needs a man to show her how to love herself and to find her full potential. Both leads snap out of the mental barriers keeping them from fully committing to one another when it's convenient to the plot of the story.
-Blake has a doctorate degree and is one of the leading researchers pioneering huge medical discoveries, I have a hard time buying that she is unable to rationally separate that certain discoveries she makes isn't a personal affront to her.
-The pacing of the plot of the story felt a little sloppy at times, trodding along in the middle, and speeding like a bat out of hell in the last 10%.
-I don't know if it was just the version I had access to, but some of the spacing for dialog was clunky and awkward to follow. There were multiple paragraphs between responses to certain conversations, and I fully thought I was in the wrong part of the book and skipped back and forth a lot.
-The side characters could have used some additional development, they only popped in on the rare occasion to further the plot when convenient and the left out when they could've been included.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶🌶

This is my second book by Christi Barth and the same thing happened to me as with the first one, I enjoyed it a lot at first, the chemistry and the conversation between the characters
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But then it was losing intensity and between the memories of one of the main characters and his life and touring the city I lost a bit of interest in the story
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My mind was tempted to think that there was a plot twist involving Wyatt's former career. I felt that something could happen between his anecdotes and his suspicions, constantly looking for danger around him.
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But it is a fun and light romance between an ex-spy trying to insert himself into a normal life and a methodical and workaholic doctor in her laboratory closed to the rules and appearances in a picturesque small town
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I really liked the chemistry between them, the dialogues and the entire first part of the book. The secondary characters interested me more and little by little I wanted to read more about them
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Thanks to Christi Barth and Entangled Publishing LLC for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

The (ex) Spy Who (maybe) Loved Me by Christi Barth was a delightful small-town romance and one that surprised me.
A heartwarming and refreshing novel this is a romance that gives you all the feels without being cheesy and just so charming, fun, and enjoyable! It was everything I needed in my life right now.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Entangled & Amara for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5/5 stars!! This was a fun story about a spy forced into retirement trying to acclimate to normal life and a scientist finding self-confidence. Wyatt and Blake are thrown together in an art contest held by the lab Blake works in an effort to marry science and art. Wyatt and Blake were such a fun opposites-attract couple and I really enjoyed seeing them grow from a one-night stand to enemies to friends to lovers. I really liked the main characters as well as the secondary characters, especially Everett, he was a really great first friend for Wyatt and had a great sense of humor. I really enjoyed how Wyatt was consistently supporting Blake throughout the book even when they were still nothing more than strangers. As much as I enjoyed reading their love story, I do wish there was more suspense involved especially considering Wyatt's former job. All in all, I loved the humor, the intelligence of the FMC, and the found family and friends within a small town.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Blake is fiercely committed to science and meeting expectations. Wyatt is reluctantly committed to making a new life for himself. Neither wants anything more than a no-strings flight-delayed hookup - but of course, it doesn't work out that way.

What I liked: the chemistry between the main characters as they explored their motivations (and each other); the variety of supporting characters (will Everett get a story at some point?); the way the spy part was alluded to but not overplayed. What I wasn't so sure about: the way the whole women-in-science thing was done. I know first-hand what it's like to be a woman in a STEM career, and even though it was supposed to be Blake's experiences and concerns, it felt a little too heavy-handed. Overall though, this is a fun return to a small Maine town, where there are hopefully more stories to be told.

The beginning was very engaging but it lost me in the middle. Who doesn't love a must-protect her from my enemies premise?! This was a fun read with fun characters and great banter. I think there was no drastic peak in the middle so it just felt very long at times but still a fun rom-com read!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you love a romantic comedy with characters that leave you laughing and crying, chemistry that burns hot and a story that is filled with secret spy stuff and scientific changing research perfectly paced and executed don't miss this must read.

When forces outside Wyatt Keene's control force him to immediately retire and live a normal, regular life it won't be easy. Giving up his "Spytastic" life means returning to Swan Cove, Maine and attempting to live a normal life. A weather flight delay leads to a spicy one-nighter with a mysterious woman before his departure to normalville.

Blake Montgomery is a scientist working to change the world, one cutting edge study at a time. When she meets a mysterious man during a travel delay, her one night stress relief will turn her world upside down. Can Blake stay in control? Or, will she let her guard down despite the protocol objectives she put in place to protect her heart from breaking?

An art contest reunion, family expectations, and the past will force both of them to face their fears, re-evaluate what matters, and take a risk learning to trust for a chance at love. Both have suffered loss and will discover that they have more in common despite their differences. There's just one little hiccup, what will happen when Blake discovers who Wyatt really is, and asks one thing of him? Will is bring them a happy ever after or shatter everything to pieces.?

Are his Spy days really over? They just need to get past the small town gossip, employee drama and all around shenanigans that leave much to be uncovered, and kept me glued in my chair until I finished this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Christi Barth I enjoyed this book. Note - while this is the second book set in the town of Swan Cove, each book can be read as a standalone.

First of all, love it when a woman is in science! Also I haven't really read many books with these types of characters so it was a very good read for me. Something different! loved it.

Wyatt and Blake have a one night stand, never expecting to see one another again, but a twist of fate has them living in the same town and partnered for a science/art competetion. Overall The (ex) Spy Who (maybe) Loved Me is cute and lighthearted, but pretty generic.

Enjoyable, lighthearted read involving spy antics, art, and the world of genetics. I love rom com reads with a strong, non-traditional female lead.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for the advanced copy Entangled Publishing and Netgalley!

The (ex) Spy Who (maybe) Loved Me features Wyatt an ex spy who is trying to settle down after ending his spy career and Blake a scientist who could be categorized as a workaholic. They both end up meeting at an airport and have a short fling with no strings attached hoping to never meet each other again but turns out that they live in the same town of Swan Cove. And the rest is well you know how it goes...

I was really excited going into this book based off the title and the cute cartoon cover of the book!
BUT as I began reading, the book just didn’t hit in the way I wanted it to. I didn’t really feel the sparks between the main couple. The sexual tension that was supposed to be hot wasn’t as visible, which bums me out because I really liked the preface of the book.

As for each character separately, I was vibing with both during the first half but somewhere along the middle they lost me and I just couldn’t click with them anymore. Wyatt began getting on my nerves and I felt bad for Blake because it seemed like all the self confidence she had when meeting Wyatt for the first time simply vanished.

Overall, the preface of the book was great but it definitely could’ve been executed better.

The intro to this story was very compelling but then it took a predictable turn and I lost interest in the story and the characters were not very engaging.

Wyatt and Blake have a one night stand whilst stranded at the airport, and expect to never see one another again. Unfortunately, fate has other plans as days later they are thrown together as part of an art competition that Blake's job may depend on.

This story had a lot of promise, but didn't really live up to it. I was really enjoying the ex-spy angle, but it felt like nothing really happened with that until very late in the day. The chemistry was spot on, but I didn't warm to Blake as a character at all. Such a shame, I wanted to enjoy this book much more than I did!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

Wyatt was a spy until his identity was sold as part of a list. He was forced out of his job and has moved to a remote part of Maine where his aunt used to live. Blake Montgomery's family founded the town, and she is working to establish her reputation as a top scientist separate from their influence. Wyatt and Blake have a one night stand before being paired together in a competition to combine science and art.

I found this book quite surprising. From the title, cover, and description, I expected a rom-com mixed with romantic suspense. Instead, there was less action than I expected. Indeed, the book was quite introspective. Much of it focused on character development. There was a lot on how difficult it is for spies to transition back to civilian life with many concerns about mental health and stability. Blake similarly had a lot of adapting in terms of her relationship with her family and her career goals.

As I read, it became clear that this was a sequel to Hottie on Her Shelf, the story of Blake's brother. I wish I had known to read that first, and this included some spoilers for that book. That said, this book can stand alone.

I did come to quite enjoy it despite it being so different than what I had thought I would be reading. I recommend it for those interested in a romantic drama. There's great steam, a wonderful small town, and very interesting secondary characters.

Thank you to Entangled and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

3.5/5 stars - The (ex) Spy Who (maybe) Loved Me is a small town, one night stand to coworkers to lovers novel. Added bonus is this is a woman in STEM book!

Blake and Wyatt meet at an airport bar when their flights are grounded due to fog. They end up having a one night stand, but know there can be nothing more. Wyatt is returning to the states after being a spy for many years and Blake is a scientist who does not have time for a relationship. They did not expect to be in the same town, let alone paired up in a scientist/artist contest that Blake's company is holding. What the two didn't count on was the amazing chemistry they have. Will they be able to put their histories to the side to recognize the love right in front of them?

This was a quick and easy read. Blake and Wyatt were enjoyable characters, but I found a lot of their personalities lacking depth. I did enjoy seeing Wyatt's return to civilian life and how his brain just could not turn off his spy tendencies. I did have a problem with how back and forth Blake and Wyatt's relationship seemed after the one night stand. Blake kiss Wyatt and then pull back because she couldn't have a relationship or Wyatt would take her on a "date" but then pull back. I think this was meant to add to the tension, but it just left me frustrated at times.

I enjoyed the book overall and felt that it was a cute, quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

This was a delight! Small-town spicy romance with a dash of espionage and two main characters who follow a chance one night stand-to-work colleagues-to-lovers path. What more could you want?

Things I loved: Wyatt’s road to self-discovery after so many years of being forced to live as anyone but himself, the way the book contained both a spicy one night stand and a subsequent slow burn to a relationship, and the amount of affirming conversations about badass women in STEM.

However, there were a few things I didn’t love. First, Wyatt’s role as an artist was always kind of opaque. Even though it was his whole reason for sticking around in Swan Cove, not to mention his future career plan, Wyatt never seemed to be actually making art until probably 2/3 of the way through the story. Second, it felt like there was often build-up to an event - most notable that come to mind are Wyatt’s Halloween party operation and the Gazette interview - but then the story skipped ahead a day or two without showing what actually happened during those events. It was a bit jarring. Finally, I didn’t love the whole blow-up when Blake finally found out that Wyatt was an ex-spy. If anyone had a right (duty, actually) to lie about who he was, it was Wyatt - so her whole "it's over because you lied" spiel was frustrating. Of course it would be difficult/strange for her to find out the truth, but I think her reaction was over the top. Thankfully the angsty break-up phase was short-lived.

In spite of my complaints, I still enjoyed this book a ton, and I will definitely recommend it to my romance-loving friends!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing/Amara for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I am going to say upfront that I like this author-so I am probably biased. This is the story of Wyatt (ex spy and artist) who is an interesting guy and Blake a PhD scientist. Blake has some confidence issues, which to me seemed a bit odd. She let family influence her decisions. That part was a bit odd. The beginning of the book will suck you in. I did enjoy the book, and the dynamics between the ex spy/artist and the scientist. Fun to read. 4 stars