Member Reviews

What a fun ride! This author has a great sense of humor and it really shines through in this book. Action packed, full of fun repartee and clever commentary. Looking forward to more books in this series to come.

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If you're looking for a fun, frantic and entertaining spy book, this is it!

I've always thought that moms in minivans would make the best undercover agents and this book puts that theory to the test. As a newly single mom, Gabby needs to make some money to keep her ex-husband off her back while also caring for her two children. Enter mystery and intrigue in the form of undercover operations, double agents, her eccentric grandmother and a very attractive coworker. Gabby quickly realizes that she can't do all of this on her own, but that with the help of her friends and her grandmother, she can have a great time trying.

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"Errands & Espionage" by Sam Tschida offers a delightful blend of mystery and humor reminiscent of Janet Evanovich's style and the chaos of Finlay Donovan. This quick read weaves together a light-hearted espionage tale with dashes of romance, family drama, and neighborhood disputes.

Tschida does an excellent job of creating a cast of diverse characters, perhaps in an effort to appeal to a broad audience. It sometimes feels as though the book is trying to check too many boxes. The main character’s best friend is a standout, offering humor and support - especially when it comes to the irony of the party they plan for the office.

The plot is admittedly far-fetched, but it's all in good fun and a nice escape for those looking for a few hours of entertainment with a side of giggles.

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Thank you Net Galley and Forever for this ARC copy!

Back in college I was very into the Janet Evanovich - they were cute and quirky and a welcomed departure from college reading. This felt similar in that was a cute, easy read, with a housewives twist - so found that relatable. I think it could have been improved by sticking to the mystery aspect vs bringing in a romance. It felt a little like it was trying to appeal to everyone there, but fell flat. Overall, I would recommend if you love thrillers/mystery/suspense and need a lighter read in between with a little bit of action.

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This was such a fun read! Definitely gives off Finlay Donovan vibes, but with the stress level taken down a notch. I really hope it's the first in a series.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

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This kind of reminded me of the Finlay Donovan series which I absolutely love. This was a fun page turner and will definitely read the next installment if there is one. I'm rooting for you Gabby! And I love your BFF!! Such a fun duo!

Thank you to netgalley, author and publisher for an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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This was a fun read! Recently divorced and out of work mother of two finds herself recruited to be a spy...and hijinks ensue. Gabby doesn't know how to be a good spy, but she decides to rely on her past as a stay at home mom to outwit the Russian mob. This was clever and light-hearted. I hope there will be more to come!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I wasn’t sure if Errands & Espionage was going to lean heavily on the espionage or the errands side of things (I am more interested in the former) but I was pleasantly surprised at how this book balanced both and resulted in a highly entertaining read.

Gabby is a single mother struggling to balance her children and the responsibilities that come with raising two happy (non psychotic or sociopathic, whichever one results in serial killers to quote her) children when she gets a knock on the door from a branch of the CIA asking her to take part in a mission because of her resemblance to a recently killed operative, Darcy, who was undercover during a job. Yes, I know this is far fetched but this book made it work and was a lot of fun. Gabby acts exactly as I’d imagine someone in her situation might (less than one week of training, really only having mom skills for her resume of late) and her support network of a best friend neighbor and sometimes drag queen and grandmother and grandmother’s lover were not only a lot of fun but also her saviours when she desperately needed it. Short and sweet with a lot of complications cropping up throughout the plot, I hope to see this continued as a series!

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This was a fun little housewife spy mystery with moments that made me giggle and a romance that caused a spark but didn't light the entire fire. I am a huge fan of the "Finlay Donovan" series so I was intrigued by this premise and hopeful for another fun mom is thrown into the crime world adventure. The story felt evenly paced and it did keep me interested for the entire book.

I do think the romance could've been left out because it left sooo much to be desired. There was no real build up or connection with Marcus and Gabby so it was hard to really care but it was fun enough. I think this will, hopefully, be more talked about if there is a second novel. (The author left the ending fairly open imo).

I did looooove Gabby's BFF. That character was incredible and I would love a story all about their life, honestly.

Overall, I would recommend this book! I think a lot of people will enjoy the lightheartedness and quickness of it. I will read the second installment if there is one just to see where the story goes next.

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Errands and Espionage by Sam Tschida was such a pleasant surprise. The novel starts off introducing you to Gabby Greene, a recently divorced stay-at-home-mom of two children. She feels frumpy, unorganized, and invisible most of the time. Then out of the blue she is approached by a secret government agency to fill in as a lookalike for a recently murdered spy. And of course there’s a gorgeous spy that catches her eye!

I found this novel to be a very relatable, honest, and funny take on being a parent and navigating common family drama. I also appreciated the struggle outlined in wanting to follow your own passion alongside that. The plot was well thought out and kept me turning pages effortlessly. Most rom/com novels now rely on “spicy” content to drive the story further, which this did not do at all, and it was very refreshing! I think this would be a great book club pick as well as an enjoyable experience for the common reader. Will definitely be adding this to my bookshelf upon its release!

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Errands & Espionage was an amateur spy mystery with a side of light humor and romance. I thought the premise was interesting, and the story was evenly paced, holding my attention. The romantic element left something to be desired. There wasn't much chemistry to be felt between Markus and Gabby, and I felt the author didn't build on their connection enough to have me invest in their romantic relationship.
The main storyline does reach a conclusion, but the author also leaves it with an opening for the possibility of another novel involving the main characters.
Overall, Errands & Espionage made for a satisfactory reading experience, but I wouldn't be jumping to reach for a second installment. I enjoyed the undercover spy element more than the romance aspect.


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*Complimentary copy for review provided by Forever Romance. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

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3.5 stars

The premise of Errands & Espionage is so fun and the book has a very Finlay Donovan feel to it. There's a lot going on in the book but it still seemed to drag (not a pun, although it could be) at times.

While the main storyline wraps up, the book does leave things open for a possible sequel (or series). I would definitely read the next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing).

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Gabby Greene joins the ranks of Stephanie Plum and Finlay Donovan with this highly entertaining female sleuth/spy novel.

Assuming this is going to be a series (please, please let it be a series), with a little more character development, I may even say that I like Sam Tshida’s take on it even more than Janet Evanovich or Elle Cosimano’s — which is saying a lot from someone who binge-read the first 26 Stephanie Plum books in a few months.

Unlike the other stories, Sam doesn’t make Gabby into a bumbling fool. Sure, she is inexperienced, but she isn’t making ridiculous decisions that have me screaming “WHY?!” and throwing the book across the room.

I loved watching Gabby find her own way; yes, she stumbles through at times, but being able to see a low self-esteem, recently divorced, stay-at-home mom become a secret agent was refreshing. I think anyone can relate to Gabby’s character; we all dream of escaping the monotony of everyday life every once in a while, and just like Gabby, I’m sure we would be anxious about that decision right after making it.

All the parts of this book that discussed how difficult it actually is to manage an entire household, especially while working outside the home, had me nodding along feverishly. There were so many feminist moments, I felt validated just reading it. It was inspirational to see Gabby not only make decisions for what’s best for her family but also put her own needs and mental health first.

I will say, I was a little alarmed when it casually glossed over Gabby’s daughter Kylie wanting to be called Kyle in the beginning of the book. I was worried that this was going to be some conservative joke and that I was going to have to DNF the book right then and there. I was incredibly relieved to find that it wasn’t disinterest or ignorance in that moment, but just a mom letting her child find her own way without interference.

I appreciated the diversity in the rest of the characters as well. The author was able to have this set of people thrown together seamlessly, without making outlandish stereotypical remarks just for a quick laugh. I think every single character showed at least a little depth and displayed different aspects of their personalities — not an easy feat for how many people there are in this story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting because I simply needed to know what was going to happen next. The end definitely seems like it’s setting up for a second book, so I cannot wait to see how this series unfolds.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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this book gave me the feels. i was drawn by the title of the book and then i was sucked in completely. really liked this and want to find more of her books. It was good and read it fast.

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Errands & Espionage was a pleasant surprise for me. This book has a little bit of everything & was a quick, easy read for me. Will definitely recommend this one to everyone!

Thank you NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC copy of this book.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am officially a Gabby Greene fan! This book was so fun. A newly single mom of 2 is looking to re-enter the workforce. Her resume is feeling pretty stale after not working for 14 years and she's feeling like she won't find a job. Then something strange happens....someone arrives at her house saying their from the CIA and they want to hire her for a job. She looks exactly like an Agent that was just killed during a mission and want her to take her place. How is she going to juggle home life and spy life?!

Fans of Finlay Donovan will love this one as well. Can't wait to continue reading this series.

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Fans of Janet Evanovich and Elle Cosimano will love this new book by Sam Tschida. This book brought fun, humor, intrigue, a little romance, crazy family and kept me up way too late because I refused to go to sleep before finishing it. The characters were really well written and she nailed the overwhelmed divorced mom emotions. Can’t wait for the next book andI hope she and Marcus continue to grow their relationship. Best book I have read in a while!!

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Oh hey it’s meeeeeee I’m reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

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