What happens when legendary spy Yardley discovers her ex-gf has also been working as a spy for the same organization? This book covers all of that drama and more. Cute new take on a classic spy novel. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of this book for an honest review.

If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You starts with such a unique premise that you cannot help being hooked from the start. I did not want to put it down. Bullets are flying, yet the most dangerous thing the main characters do is finally reveal all they had kept hidden from one another. You could feel the magnetic pull between them from the start, and I loved the play between the chaotic risk of espionage and navigating insane chemistry with the ex at your side.

I thoroughly enjoyed Marvel's latest, If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You, a queer spy romance with lots of tongue-in-cheek humor. Yardley is a field agent who meets her match when her ex-girlfriend, KC, is similarly an agent, albeit one who works behind the screen. When they're thrown back together to prevent the sharing of a weapon sought after by friend and foe alike, the exes have a hard time ignoring their lingering feelings for each other...

As a queer person, I'm thrilled when sapphic novels (especially) aren't wholly (or at all) focused on coming out/someone hiding their identity/etc. Marvel has created an interesting enough story that, even when the writing is choppy and, at times, tedious, still feels enough like a romance. Yardley and KC had some significant differences to work through, and I appreciated that Marvel didn't take the Cinderella/easy way out with these characters' issues.

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

This was a slow burn for me. I liked the premise, but it took too long to get the story moving. Eventually the action kicked in and I was on board. Enjoyed the rich character development and supporting cast.

3.5/5⭐

Spy novels are my kryptonite so reading a sapphic one was so refreshing! I was expecting a little more from this book, but I found it lacking in some imporant places. It did great on the spy and action aspect, but the relaionship didn't feel quite right. It annoyed me to no end how the two main characters were so back and forth. I also didn't feel like I connected with the characters as much as I expected too. It was definitely a me thing and I wouldn't be opposed to reading more by this author.

Thanks to St Martin’s press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Mae Marvel has delivered yet another book full of rich storytelling, and interesting characters. I don’t usually go for spy novels, but the romance aspect had me intrigued! The story moved along quickly and made me want to keep reading!

I loved the sapphic twist on a spy novel, and felt myself rooting for KC and Yardley. A great read for anyone looking for a romance with a bit more substance!

Queer rep: sapphic main relationship, achillean side relationship, nonbinary side character

Summary: a technological weapon with the ability shut down all grids is deployed in Toronto, and super-spy Unicorn, aka Yardley Whitmer is on the case. However, her mind is not completely focused on the mission, as she and her girlfriend KC, whom she still loves, are going through a slow death breakup. When a meeting with a target goes wrong, tech agent Tabasco sweeps in to save Yardley, only for Yardley to discover Tabasco is none other than her (maybe ex) girlfriend, KC. Together, Yardley and KC must unravel both the mysteries of the mission, and also what went wrong in their relationship, if they have any hope of saving world and having a future at the end of everything.

Feedback: WOW!!!!!
This book is for you if you love:
- dynamic women characters who are strong, but nuanced
- super fun spy missions
- great banter
- surprise! Everyone is a little bit gay
- sapphic spice 🌶️
- something that is un-apologetically FUN
- dual, third-person POV

I admit I sometimes got a little confused with the spy mission and why they were doing things b/c it was kind of involved, but I will take that one on me because I read this with a "I'm here to have fun" brain and it blew me out of the water in that respect. I adored both KC and Yardley pretty much instantly, and I loved their story, especially the "I know I love her, how do I get back with her" aspect of it, compared to the usual spy story of "do I love them or is it the mission?".

SO MUCH FUN!

I will read anything Mae Marvel writes. This book had all the fun and suspense of a spy novel and the big swoony feelings Marvel is so good at writing. I will be recommending this to everyone I know!

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I really liked the characters but not so much the relationship or at least how it was presented from the beginning. I got bored halfway through the book, I think I was expecting more or maybe something different.

I will not be giving feedback for this book. I’m gonna start by saying this book was NOT FOR ME. I thought I was getting Mr. And Mrs. Smith but gay so I was expecting a breakup/ tension. I was not expecting them to start broken up and then keep on breaking up? Like they were in high school? Like yall are just fighting and hooking up, you’re both very clear you’re not together? Why are you counting your breakups? 🤣. I couldn’t stand them and it kinda ruined the whole book for me.

YOU GUYS this is giving ally carter’s gallagher girls but sapphic!!!! i can’t be the only one who read those in middle school right?! anyhoo, this lil second chance enemies to lovers moment had me WEAK, they are both so hot and they deserve to kill it on their missions (no pun intended) while also living happily ever after 🥹

This is my second ARC from this author and I definitely liked this one a bit more. There was a pretty detailed spy plot, very good character development, and I just felt it was an easy story to jump into. A little spice, a lot of cheese, it was a nice read! Thank you to NetGalley for letting me branch out of my typical reads, this was a fun one!

A sapphic spy x hacker lovestory with a Mr. and Mrs. Smith storyline??? YES

Yardley and KC have broken up after a 3-year relationship because of their busy schedules. Yardley is a finance bro and KC is a web designer of some sort. SIKE. Yardley and KC have broken up after a 3-year relationship because of the weight of the secret lives they don't even know are hiding from each other. Yardley is a super spy known as the Unicorn and KC is a tech genius known as Tabasco, both secretly working at the same spy agency without knowing their real identities. When Yardley and KC are put into a mission together, secrets come flying out into the open and they have to decide if it's enough to save their relationship. At the same time, a super scary world-shut-down skeleton key weapon is unleashed into the wild and Yardley and KC have to work together to retrieve it.

Funny and cute I gotta say. Definitely not meant to be an accurate portrayal of espionage, but that's what kept me interested! I think it was (hopefully) meant like that in a comedic way. Yardley and KC as the main characters have to be at the center of all the conflict despite KC having literally no field-training whatsoever yet being a natural at it. Help conveniently pops up when they need it. And they have time for jokes in between hijacking a military tank and dodging enemy fire. An exciting read if anything!

A few cons though:

-there was some awkward detail-sharing here and there. Author definitely liked to give us lengthy details of character's backstories in long unbroken dialogues at the oddest of times. Disrupted the reading flow a little bit but it wasn't unbearable
-Yardley and KC had a truckload of back and forth 1 step forward and 3 steps back arguments I could just never follow along. It was like what they were saying had a different essence each time and they were just flinging large blocks of dialogue at each other so I just started skimming them. If you skim them, then yes, it's also not unbearable!

But I digress. Because really, truly, at the heart of it all, this book was about fighting for love because it's worth it. It's about taking a risk and loving despite the possibility of being hurt, of giving and giving because isn't it better to have known love at all, for however short, than not at all? AND YES IT IS. Even if it took Yardley and KC fifty thousand half-assed arguments to get to that point, they get there.

And these quotes! Oh my heart:

"KC wished one of the monitors could show what was inside her heart. She wanted Yardley to see exactly how big her love was, with a number. A number that meant no woman had been loved more on this earth than Yardley Whitmer."

"KC closed her eyes and fell asleep with Yardley's kiss gentle on her mouth, her cheeks, her forehead, glad they'd saved the world because Yardley was in it."

So overall, a light-hearted at times but heavy-hearted at others read. Clunky writing sometimes but it can be overlooked. 4/5. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mae Marvel's If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You is a delightful book! I was immediately captivated by this exciting and seductive story, which combined global espionage with genuine passion. The narrative follows renowned spy Yardley "Unicorn" Whitmer and talented hacker KC "Tabasco" Nolan as they work together on a risky operation and traverse their complex past. As they collaborate to address a global problem, their romance - which had waned as a result of their secret lives and a traumatic breakup - rekindles. The combination of risk, desire, and self-discovery is just what I didn't realize I needed.

Marvel does a fantastic job of striking a balance between nonstop action, sultry slow-burn romance, and clever banter. The chemistry between Yardley and KC was explosive, and I adored how meticulously the book depicted the world of technology and spies. However, Marvel's portrayal of lesbian women in professional settings without imposing any moral precepts was what truly caught my attention. It gave the story a sense of empowerment and made it incredibly accessible.

I couldn’t put this book down! It's an enjoyable, quick read with endearing characters, a gripping plot, and a heartwarming romance.

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel is the kind of sapphic spy romance you didn’t know you needed until it takes you hostage—in the best way possible. It’s a perfect cocktail of action, wit, emotional angst, and steamy tension. If Ms. and Ms. Smith had a queer reboot, this book would be front and center as the blueprint.

Yardley Whitmer, aka “the Unicorn,” is the kind of protagonist who struts into a room and immediately steals the scene—capable, stylish, and just detached enough to make you wonder what it would take to really crack her composure. Turns out the answer is KC Nolan, her ex-girlfriend-slash-hacker-extraordinaire, who’s been carrying more secrets than a burner phone. Their breakup was a disaster, made even worse by the fact that neither of them knew the other was living a double life. Honestly, the second they realize they’ve been working for the same agency all along? Chef’s kiss. The dramatic irony pays off in spades.

The banter between Yardley and KC is razor-sharp—equal parts flirtation and frustration, with just enough emotional vulnerability to make your heart ache in between the car chases and high-stakes missions. And yes, there are literal car chases. There’s also a linen closet moment that manages to be both ridiculous and swoon-worthy, because Mae Marvel knows exactly how to mix chaos with intimacy.

What makes this stand out, though, isn’t just the fun of spies falling in love (although that’s a massive perk). It’s the way the story grapples with identity and honesty. Yardley and KC are both trying to figure out if they can be their real selves when they’ve spent so long living behind layers of deception. The espionage plot—with its twists, betrayals, and globetrotting danger—is really a backdrop for a much more personal question: how do you trust someone you’ve already lied to a thousand times? The romance feels earned because both women have to confront their flaws and secrets, not just kiss their problems away (though, to be fair, there’s plenty of swoony kissing).

If there’s one area that felt slightly underwhelming, it’s that the villainous plot felt a little standard compared to how strong the personal stakes were. The spy antics were fun, but some of the secondary villains felt like stock characters pulled from a spy movie script. However, that’s easy to forgive when the heart of the story—Yardley and KC’s will-they-won’t-they (they will)—keeps you hooked.

Four stars because it’s exciting, funny, and emotionally satisfying, with just enough camp to make it a joyride rather than a slog through angst. It’s a standout sapphic romance that proves spies and second chances are a match made in heaven—or, in this case, a linen closet. I’ll definitely be recommending this to anyone who loves slow-burn tension, secret identities, and chaotic lovers on the run.

This is a story about two women who are spies for the CIA. Yardley is a field agent with a reputation as a legend in the agency with her very skillful spy craft. KC is an intelligence analyst who was recruited as a 14 year old hacker into government systems. Throughout the first half of the book, even though they live together, they don’t know each other is a spy.

I found it hard to believe that KC didn’t know that Yardley was a spy since she has access to tons of info. But if she wasn’t looking for it and Yardley was an expert at secrecy, then maybe ?

This book was somewhat tongue in check with humor mixed with spy craft. The writing style was unique in that I never felt like the author was trying to write a serious book. On the other hand there was a lot of philosophical advice thrown by the MCs thoughts and conversations with their mentors. The writing style was choppy at times. I thought it was like a Cliff Notes version of a John LeClarre novel. There were also several clever references to sapphic cliches written as allegories.

This was a unique read and different than most sapphic books that I’ve read. I look forward to reading more books by this team of authors.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

Yardley y KC trabajan para la CIA: la primera es espía y la segunda, hacker. Son novias, pero no saben que ambas forman parte de la misma agencia. De hecho, cada una ha inventado un trabajo "normal" para no poner en peligro a la otra. Las mentiras se han acumulado a lo largo de los años, y su relación está a punto de terminar. Sin embargo, una misión las obliga a trabajar juntas, lo que las lleva a descubrir sus verdaderas identidades. Esto podría ser el comienzo de algo positivo que salve su relación, o algo negativo que la termine para siempre.

Disfruté de la lectura, aunque me hubiera gustado que el final de la misión no hubiera sido tan apresurado.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a fun ride of CIA spy goodness and second chance romance. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a sapphic novel that had such a lovely blend of intricate plot and emotional prose.

First let’s talk romance. The MCs have just ended a 3-year relationship. That is until they find out they both work for the CIA. The book casually flip-flops between their inner dialogue as they decide will they/won’t they trust one another again. It took a minute to catch up on their history but by the end I was committed to seeing it through.

Now let’s talk spy stuff. The tech, disguises, and international travel was extremely fun. However, I’m not sure if I really grasped the stakes of their mission. The reason I dropped a star was because I kept waiting for a twist that never happened.

Overall, I was so excited to read a spy novel starring two proud lesbians. The writing was exceptionally good and I’ll happily read more by this author!

I love spy books, and this one exceeded all my expectations. The relationship between the 2 leads was so cute, and I love the trope of people learning someone they know is a secret agent/spy/superhero. I would definitely read more from this author, and this is already the 2nd or 3rd I’ve read of their books, and I enjoy each one.

3.5 stars this was fine! second chance and spies and i think i just was bored? it could have had more action or more twists on who the bad guy was since that was pretty obvious since chapter 1.