Member Reviews

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley, Forever Grand Central Publications @readforeverpub and the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of the e-book.

I found the novel to be a delightful story about a housewife turned undercover spy. The characters, especially grandma and Justin, her neighbor and best friend, provided humorous and entertaining moments. Gabby, the protagonist, is recruited to take over an undercover operation due to her resemblance to a murdered agent. Despite having minimal training, she embarks on a mission to uncover a Russian mob boss. While the storyline may seem far-fetched, it was an enjoyable read. Gabby, a divorced mother managing two kids, evolves into a strong character throughout the story. I was invested in watching as Gabby took charge of her life and took down the bad guys.

The author has left room for a potential sequel, and I believe this book will be a quick and entertaining read for anyone looking for lighthearted enjoyment. Keep an eye out for its release on August 6th!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me to read an ARC of Errands & Espionage by Sam Tschida, in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Gabby Greene - relatable stay at home mom turned accidental secret agent. This book was fun, funny, and unputdownable. Gabby excelled through determination, perseverance, and a few happy accidents. I loved watching Gabby's growth.

I absolutely would not mind a sequel.

Was this review helpful?

What’s a divorced housewife to do when her kids don’t appreciate her and her ex slaps her with a court order to get a job so he can stop paying spousal support? Join the CIA of course. 💁🏽‍♀️ This was hands down a five star 🌟 read. It was funny, entertaining, delightful, and I will likely never stop recommending Sam Tschida’s books. It's also being turned into a movie so yet another reason to read the book.

Was this review helpful?

"Errands & Espionage" is a fairly amusing story of a middle-aged divorced mom being recruited to be an undercover secret agent. I admit to not really connecting with FMC Gabby Greene - I just couldn't get on board with how she allowed her kids to treat her and her constant self-denigration. I also thought the romance aspect of the book was superfluous - I think the book could have been better with all focus on the mystery, or even on showing more of Gabby's self-growth. Still, this is a decent light read that doesn't require a lot of thinking. In fact, given the need to suspend disbelief, the less thinking the better.

2.5 stars, rounded to 3. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. These opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Gabby Greene is recently divorced and in desperate need of a job to get her life back on track. Her life changes in an instant when a secret government agency recruits her to go undercover to bring down a mob boss simply because she looks like an agent who was just killed doing the same job. Errands & Espionage takes readers on a wild ride as Gabby juggles keeping her kids safe, bringing home the bacon, trying not to fall for her hot co-worker, and bringing down an infamous Russian money launderer. You have to suspend disbelief while reading this action-packed mystery but the fast-paced story kept me entertained! I loved Gabby’s feisty grandmother and reliable best friend most. While a lot of contemporary romances rely on spicy scenes, the romance in this book was closed door and not the main focus on the action. I could’ve done without it but I’m curious to see if it grows into a book two! I think fans of the movies/TV shows Only Murders in the Building, Get Smart, and Argylle will love this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This was a fun read. It kept me laughing....never quite figuring out what Gabriella was going to do next. She was an accident waiting to happen. She is like a lot of mom's. We get to living in the safe zone. She tried something way outside of that and found out she could still think on her feet. Her Russian grandmother and Burt were a hoot too!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Was this review helpful?

This gave me finlay donovan vibes! While I enjoyed it felt like it was trying to be like the finlay series with less “stress”. It was a fun read though! I did enjoy it

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley for an eArc of this book, this is my honest and objective review. Our fmc is Gabby, a divorced mom to two entitled kids who is trying to start her life over again. Serendipitously, considering she is in sudden need of a job, she is recruited by the CIA solely on the basis that she resembles a killed-in-action agent. (Yeah, I know, suspend disbelief.) There's a lot going on here, and some great supporting characters, and a nice amount of tension with some of the sub-plots while Gabby works to fill the other agent's shoes. That said, I had a hard time feeling much for Markus, the agent who trains Gabby and her supposed romantic interest. As written he's bland: he's a nice guy and he's apparently so handsome he's "too hot" for fieldwork (although we do eventually learn why he's not in the field). But there's no depth to his character as it was written, and we don't get to know him so it was hard to care about him much. And the romance aspect of the book, much like Markus' personality, was a bit lacking. Gabby, on the other hand, was complex and well-developed. I was engaged enough to root for her as she got deeper into her spy work and as she started to recoup some of the self-worth she lost in her marriage. This book definitely reads like the start of a series, which maybe is why Markus was so superficial and generic?

I liked the author's comedic voice and I loved the random ridiculous touches. I don't want to give anything away but (for example) I cracked up at the location of the spy training center. You'll have to lean into the absurdity to really enjoy this story. I picked this book because of my nostalgic fondness for "Scarecrow & Mrs. King," and there's also a nice dollop of "Desperate Housewives" thrown in.
I'm giving this 3 stars, closer to 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the author's writing, she's new to me but I'd read her again.

Was this review helpful?

Review to come…

I really love the cover ❤️
The description is very intriguing.
This is a new author to me.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Was this review helpful?

This was a fun and sweet story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more from this world in the future. This was my first book from this author and it won't be my last.

Was this review helpful?

A comedic spy novel featuring Gabby Greene, an under appreciated newly divorced stay at home mom, who is recruited by a secret government agency on an undercover mission. I loved the premise, and Gabby is charming and relatable. I enjoyed watching her gain her confidence back as she goes up against the Russian mafia. You have to suspend disbelief at times, but the story is entertaining. I especially liked her hilarious best friend and grandmother. The author leaves the ending open to a series. Available 8/5/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I was excited for a cozy espionage story but was disappointed off the bat by all the swearing and the main character, Gabby was just very annoying. I was hoping for something slightly Finlay Donovan-esq and this just fell flat for me.

Was this review helpful?

This book is the start of a fun series. Love getting to know the characters. Best compliment I can give is “if you like Janet E” you’ll like this book!

Was this review helpful?

Gabby's husband recently took off, and she's trying to do the single mom thing and get her life back together (job!) when out of nowhere, the CIA shows up to recruit her as an undercover agent. Thanks to facial recognition software, they know she is a look alike for the previous agent in this position, who was killed. Gabby chooses to accept the mission, and as a mom who can work harder and longer than anyone (she's already being doing that, after all), she does everything she can to complete the mission. I did like this book, though its attempts to be funny at times felt like too much, like the author was working too hard at it. Still, I'd pick up a second book.

Was this review helpful?

loved this housewife who ends up becoming a spy and dealing with kids and family . she is put in undercover because she looks like the spy. she might find love and deals with the mob.

Was this review helpful?

Gabby Greene is a single mom trying to get her life on track after her husband leaves and she is faced with getting a job after being out of the workforce for ages, until… the CIA shows up at her door to recruit her to stand in for an undercover agent who has just been killed while in the line of duty. Gabby is chosen because facial recognition software found that she is a near likeness to the agent that was killed, and this operation is too important/advanced/close to getting the evidence needed to get the bad guys and the CIA doesn’t want to lose all they have achieved so far. Given her few options, Gabby accepts the mission and resumes the role of the previous agent as an executive assistant to a money launderer working with the Russian mob. Part fish out of water, part moms can do anything, Gabby goes through a series of misadventures but eventually saves the day and gets the bad guys.

Errands and Espionage is a zany, madcap mystery full of crisp writing and laugh-out-loud turns of phrase. The cast of quirky supporting characters also help make this story a fun and enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

In this fast-paced and deliciously witty spy romcom, a single mom finds herself wrapped up in unexpected adventure when she is recruited to pose as a secret agent. Recently divorced Gabby Greene spends most of her days listening to self-help books while wrangling her loving yet erratic kids. During a decade of marriage, Gabby shoved aside her own career and ambitions to make room for mountains of laundry, running errands, and investigating the case of the missing socks. Her number one suspect: their Bichon Frise, Mr. Bubbles.
All that changes when a secret government agency comes knocking on Gabby's door, asking her to go undercover. At first, she thinks some reality show is pranking her, but apparently, she bears a striking resemblance to an agent recently murdered, and… well, desperate missions call for desperate measures. Soon Gabby is juggling motherhood and a crash course in Spying 101, led by a handsome James Bond-type who has secrets of his own.

A very relatable, honest, and funny take on being a parent and dealing with family drama. Gabby’s character is someone everyone can relate to; we all dream of escaping the everyday routine occasionally, and just like Gabby, we'd probably feel anxious about that decision right after making it. I recommend this novel! #errandsandespionage

Was this review helpful?

Gabby Greene is a recently divorced mother of two trying to find her way in the world. One day she is approached by the government to stand in for a recently murdered agent due to their similar looks. She has to fit in secret training while juggling her family and other responsibilities. The premise of this book is very silly but that did not prevent me from having a great time!. Gabby was funny and relatable. Marcus was great and I really liked the start to their potential relationship. It does seem like this will be a series and I will be jumping to read more installments!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This was a fun and easy read about an everyday mom gets pulled into the undercover CIA world out of a coincidental circumstance. You definitely have to suspend disbelief and just go with it as the plot line is a bit far fetched but the characters were well developed and you love to root for Gabby and her crazy family (particularly Grannt and Bert). Fans of the Finlay Donovan series will love this book and it seems perfectly positioned for a sequel or a series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Errands and Espionage” by Sam Tschide is a fun, witty read. I has Finlay Donovan vibes. Gabby Greene is a divorced, mother of two trying to find herself. She recruited by the CIA. Add in the arrival of her grandmother that was kicked out of the retirement community and there are laugh out loud moments. I hope this is a beginning of a series. Thank you to Net Galley and Forever Publishing for this advance read. Mark sure you preorder this one, coming out August 6th.

Was this review helpful?