Member Reviews

A fun and fast-paced cozy mystery, this book is full of charm! If you enjoyed the Finlay Donovan series, ERRANDS & ESPIONAGE might be a perfect fit for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

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A definite read for anyone who enjoys a quirky mystery and romance. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

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Was this a book I expected? No. Was it a book I needed? Absolutely. This book completely heralds Gabby and the hot mess she is, and is a great reminder that you don't have to have the perfect conditions to get results, sometimes you just have to take the next first step to get through it.

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Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a housewife who recently got divorced. She is trying to figure out her life and take care of her kids. When the CIA shows up to recruit her, her life turns upside down.

This book reminded me of Finlay Donovan. It is very silly and totally unrealistic. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of finlay Donovan or this book. It is just too silly for me and I just couldn’t connect with the characters.

A lot of people loved finlay Donovan so i bet they will love this one too!

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Newly divorced and mom of two, Gabby Greene opens the door one morning to find two CIA agents on her porch. To her utter shock, they offer her a job to go undercover and bring down members of the Russian mafia. She agrees, but has absolutely no relevant experience and quickly learns that this job is a lot harder and more dangerous than they made it seem. Can Gabby get the job done while jugging single mom life and keeping her family safe all at the same time?

Errands & Espionage was a total delight of a book! I found myself laughing out loud and speeding through it to find out what would happen. I thought Gabby was very relatable and one of my favorite main characters that I've read about in a while. Throughout this book, I felt like all the characters were surprisingly well-developed, even the side characters with the smallest roles. All in all, I really loved this book and would recommend to anyone who is a fan of the Finlay Donovan series!

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

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Errands and Espionage was such a fun novel! I flew through it in just a few sittings. Readers of the Finley Donovan or Vera Wong series would love this one, Gabby Green is a laugh and a half and I enjoyed how the author balanced the realities of motherhood with Gabby’s newly found job. Marcus is the perfect match for Gabby and I loved reading their banter throughout the novel. I can only hope that we get more of these two and their adventures with the EOD in a second novel.

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Looking for a quirky, fast-paced adventure with a side of romance? Errands & Espionage by Sam Tschida checks all the boxes! This fun, spy-filled romp follows Gabby, a suburban divorced mom with a secret: she’s moonlighting as a spy for a shadowy organization, all while juggling PTA meetings and grocery lists.

You have to suspend reality when reading it, but Errands & Espionage is laugh-out-loud clever. Gabby's day-to-day routine involves a blend of normal “mom errands” and high-stakes espionage, and it’s these wild contrasts that make the book such a hilarious page-turner.

The writing is witty and sharp, with Tschida giving Gabby a relatable, sarcastic inner voice that had me chuckling throughout. Gabby’s sassy BFF Justin steals the show with his over-the-top personality and witty one-liners, while her grandma is an absolute riot, adding some unexpected wisdom (and sass) to Gabby's chaotic double life. The dynamics between these characters make the book even more fun.

The spy antics are fast-paced and sometimes a bit crazy, but the heart of the story lies in Gabby's relatable, everyday challenges as she tries to balance it all - love, life, and espionage. If you're into rom-coms with a spy twist, you'll really like this one.

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Errand and Espionage by Sam Tschida is a fun, entertaining novel about motherhood, espionage and becoming a spy. This novel is delightfully entertaining and highlights the world of motherhood but also features a character who realizes she isn't just a mother. I absolutely loved this novel!

Follow character Gabby Green as she juggles motherhood, becoming a spy, pets and espionage.- you won't regret it!

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A fun concept that needed more oomph on the execution to make this more than an ok read. As a result, 2 out of 5 stars.

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I'm a fan of madcap mysteries involving housewives--Finlay Donovan I'm looking at you. So when I read the premise of this book I was sold. Unfortunately this book did not deliver. It felt like someone had read the Finlay Donovan books and been inspired to write their own. There were a few too many similarities for me. And sadly the writing just wasn't doing it for me. The madcap crazyness was just over the top for me. It wasn't believable in the slightest and it felt like it was trying to hard.
The plot was too far fetched, there were too many weird things happening that were probably meant to add humor but were, again, too over the top, and didn't add to the plot.

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This is a spy comedy that reminded me of The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter. Here, a newly divorced single mom is recruited by the CIA to help them take down a Russian money launderer. It’s got a ton of humor that had me laughing, a cute mystery, and a hint of a romance that left me wishing for more.

Gabby is a stay-at-home mom, who’s been divorced for four months, and wakes up to a court order to get a job because her ex doesn’t want to pay spousal support any more. When he left her, he took the guinea pig and moved into a hotel while she has their two kids, Kyle (fourteen) and Lucas (eight) and the dog (Mr. Bubbles). Her last job was for a travel agency and she’s trying to think of a new job she might be qualified for when two CIA agents come to her home, offering her a job. It turns out she is a look alike for one Agent Dagger who was just murdered. They want Gabby to take her place as an administrative assistant for a Russian mob boss at a company called estocks Enterprises and spy on them. Gabby thinks she can do this - she’s a ninja at gossip between her neighborhood and the moms at school and she needs a job so she decides to give spying a try.

She is assigned to Marcus, a swoony James Bond look alike, for training. He teaches her some basic self defense moves and is startled when she's cleverer than he thinks she'll be. Marcus has a tendency to fall for his partners and while we see he is attracted to Gabby, she is oblivious to it. I wanted to see more of a romance develop between them – we get a few hugs and kisses and promises to meet for more (when they finish the case). I loved it when she offered him some of her home cooked meatloaf that no one likes and he ate it all!

There were some eccentric characters that added to the fun, including her neighbor and best friend, Justin, her quirky kids, her ex, Phil and her Russian grandma and boyfriend Burt, who move in with Gabby after they get kicked out of their retirement home.

When Gabby starts the new job, she is trying to find evidence of money laundering, but she is worried whoever killed Agent Dagger will know she’s a fake and come after her. She decides to try and discover who the mole is at the office before they come after her. She soon discovers that Agent Dagger was a double agent, working for both the Russians and the CIA and now she is juggling a lot and it’s gets zany - she stumbles her way through and it’s a good time.

While I had to suspend my disbelief at many of the antics and would have liked to see more romance, I enjoyed the laughs and lighthearted mystery and if there’s a sequel, I’ll be there for it!

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It centers around STAM Gabby as she tackles life with two kids, a recent divorce, a crazy neighbor missing her cat and being the perfect doppalganer for an undercover agent (and more)
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This book is chock full of hilarious & heartfelt moments and a mystery that will keep those pages turning. I found myself cracking up, and truly guessing what the heck was going on. You’ll definitely want to give this one a read.

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"Errands and Espionage" by Sam Tschida is a delightful blend of mystery and humor that keeps readers entertained from start to finish. The story follows a witty and resourceful protagonist who stumbles into a world of covert operations while juggling mundane errands. Tschida's sharp dialogue and well-crafted plot twists make for an engaging read, and the blend of everyday tasks with espionage creates a refreshing twist! The book’s clever narrative and endearing characters make it a standout read. Overall, it's a charming and enjoyable adventure that will leave readers eagerly anticipating Tschida's next work.

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Unfortunately , this novel didn’t really work for me. I enjoyed the concept and the plot was okay, but I wasn’t a fan of the writing style and felt like I couldn’t consent with the characters

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Gabby Greene is still trying to find her feet after her divorce. Without a job in years, Gabby is the stay at home mom to her two kids while trying to figure out her next steps. Her luck might be changing when that next step literally knocks on her door. Two secret government agents arrive to ask Gabby to step in for a recently murdered agent all because they have the same looks. Gabby questions if this is a good idea, but feeling desperate, she takes the chance and enrolls herself into Espionage 101. With only a few days to learn everything about being a spy, Gabby jumps right into her new mission. She might surprise herself at how capable she is at her new job.

This was a fun read! While it gives Finlay Donovan vibes, it’s much less chaotic and realistic at times. Gabby was such a great character and that I think some could relate to. With how this one ended, I am hoping there might be a couple of more in a series. Gabby definitely deserves to keep up her espionage escapades.

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I concur with other reviewers who have likened this to a mashup of Finlay Donovan and The Blonde Identity.

This one is cute, with many relatable mom moments. In many ways, she’s “a walking comedy of errors,” but some of those mishaps work out in her favor espionage-wise.

It would make a fun spy-themed sitcom—like a present-day Get Smart with a mom figure in the affable Maxwell Smart role (but where the mom has more substance than Max did).

I would have loved a bit more tension or sizzle between the FMC and her love interest. The kissing-only heat level feels right for this one, but I wasn’t completely sold on their attraction to each other.

I received an advance copy of the book from Forever. Review opinions are my own.

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Interesting premise but I just wasn't that interested in the characters and the plot felt rushed, especially at the beginning.

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Mothereffing Gabby Greene! Iwant to give this book a coffee card (if you know, you know.) This was fun book, filled with ridiculous situations thrown at a Gabby. My favorite character was Justin and my least favorite character was Kyle. Gabby is real, self-deprecating, motivated, and SO WORTHY of her own series. I need this to be a series, and I can't wait for more books. We can never have to many housewife-turned-spy books!

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This was a delightfully fun spy story following Gabby Greene. She's recently divorced and trying to figure out life. She unexpectedly gets thrown into a spy mission. I loved it!! So fun, funny and quirky. The characters, plot and writing style were all easily digested and relatable. I quickly found myself hooked and couldn't put it down. If you were a fan of the Finlay Donovan series - you will love this one. This was a 4 - 4.5 star experience for me. Highly recommend this fun one. Thank you to Netgally and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever books for this ARC for review. Touted as "perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It" and I completely agree! Newly divorced mom, 2 crazy kids, and with no career to speak of, Gabby Greene is just your typical suburban mom, until a secret government agency knocks on her door and needs her to take over a convert operation (with little to no training or educational background). Yes, this book is just as outlandish and ridiculous as it sounds, but it works and it's straight up goofy fun. Hope Gabby Greene gets up to more hijinks in the future.

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