If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You

This was a delightful read! I loved the characters in this and the story made me feel like I was watching a teen rom-com unfold in front of me. From fun plot and the blooming romance between Yardley and KC, this is one of the best sapphic books to come out in the genre in a long time and I am incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to read it early.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You* by Mae Marvel is a thrilling romantic adventure that deftly blends espionage and heartfelt emotion. This captivating tale follows second-generation spy Yardley "the Unicorn" Whitmer and her ex-girlfriend KC "Tabasco" Nolan, both of whom are entrenched in the high-stakes world of international espionage. The tension escalates as Yardley navigates the complexities of her spy life, trying to keep her cover intact while grappling with the fallout from her strained relationship with KC.

The chemistry between Yardley and KC crackles throughout the narrative, providing a compelling counterpoint to the suspenseful plot. Their journey takes them from the elegance of the Eiffel Tower to the adrenaline-fueled streets of Europe as they uncover shocking truths about each other and their intertwined pasts. The story's pacing is superb, expertly balancing high-octane action with intimate moments that reveal the depth of their feelings and regrets. The stakes are raised even higher when the duo must confront not only external threats but also the emotional turmoil stemming from their past.

Marvel’s writing is sharp and engaging, with a clever blend of humor and tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. *If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You* is a fun and exhilarating exploration of love, trust, and the complexities of relationships in a world filled with secrets. With memorable characters and a fast-paced plot, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys romance intertwined with adventure and intrigue.

Mae, you are a Marvel! "If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You" is the latest from the collaborative team that is Mae Marvel, and it's every bit as fun, sexy and well written as their last book. The book features Yardley Whitcomb (aka "Unicorn") and KC Nolan (aka "Tabasco"), two women who, because of their need to keep the fact that they are spies secret from each other, have allowed their romantic relationship to erode to the point where Yardley is moving out but doesn't want to, and KC is letting her go but doesn't want to. From there, we are on a journey of discovery. Unicorn and Tabasco find themselves working a high level international case together (I mean, they have meetings in the White House with the President!) and as they work to solve the case, they discover much about themselves and each other. Does this mean a happy ending? You'll have to read to find out!

I have always admired Mae Marvel's writing - their books are always light years more intelligent than most "popular" fiction - but this one is amazing even for them. The research that had to be done to accurately portray the life and work of undercover agents, the complex technology that KC works with, and the variety of locations that are depicted is impressively thorough. At one point, one of the ladies casually starts speaking in Portuguese, for example. Or we find ourselves in Sweden navigating the city like locals. All the details are carefully tended to, and accurate, as far as I was able to tell. The one thing that I found puzzling was how they found so much time and so many locations for discreet kissing and canoodling, although I give credit to the Marvels that our beloved spies were usually able to jump out of a linen closet or a dark corner without missing a step of their mission.

In their acknowledgements, the authors emphasize that they weren't trying to write a "gender flipped" spy story; rather, they were trying to highlight the fact that queer people have been a part of every profession "for as long as there have been people." This book honors the women who have worked in intelligence, and it does it beautifully and naturally, avoiding in-your-face moral lessons. I loved it.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!

This book is definitely reminiscent of Mr. and Mr. Smith. This book read like an action movie or a limited series on Netflix and I was thoroughly entertained the entire time. If you're looking for a sweet rom-com that's got some kick to it, then this book is for you.

"If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You" was a very enjoyable story. In a spin on "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", the authors have created lesbian lovers, Yardley and KC, who both work for the CIA, but don't know that the other is an operative. Yardley thinks KC runs a freelance tech business, while KC thinks Yardley works in finance. Unbeknownst to each other, they have actually worked together, as Yardley is Unicorn, one of the most successful field operatives, while KC is Tabasco, one of the tech wizards making sure the operations succeed. Having to keep secrets from each other has strained their relationship to a breaking point. However, the efforts to recover a rogue piece of technology, that KC is very familiar with, will result in their secrets being unmasked. KC will have to work in the field for the first time, with Yardley as her handler.

In between the action and intrigue, there is also a relationship to figure out. With their secret identities revealed, and working together closely, Yardley and KC rediscover their importance to each other and figure out the ways that their own insecurities, as well as the situation the CIA put them in, has hampered their relationship. When they start opening up and being more trusting, their personal lives become more complicated, but their professional lives improve, as the trust and connection between operatives and assets is of critical importance to the success of a mission. Knowing each other the way they do and trusting in each other's abilities allows them to improvise as needed, which is essential given what is at risk in the mission.

Yardley and KC also manage to find opportunities for intimacy during the mission, including at moments when intimacy would seem unwise given the circumstances and surroundings.

Yardley and KC are great characters, with well-developed backstories, and while in some ways they play to type, there are aspects of their personalities that don't fit the stereotypes one might associate with them, which makes them much more intriguing and engaging characters. They each have their unique brand of toughness and vulnerability.

Interesting read. I didn't think I would enjoy novel about spys, but the author proved me wrong. The plot was very intricate and interesting. There was mystery and suspense, as well as a little angst and romance. Overall, a good read. Well done.

Funny, sexy, and fast-paced adventures! The authors did a great job keeping the action moving but also dealing with the real emotions of navigating a relationship and revealing who you truly are to your partner. Will definitely be adding more of their books to my TBR list. I received this as a Netgalley advanced copy.

This heart-racing romance is a delicious blend of intrigue, humor, and sizzling chemistry. The author masterfully crafts a world where danger lurks around every corner, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. From narrow escapes in charming European locales to those steamy moments tucked away in an ambassador’s linen closet, every twist had me on the edge of my seat. What really struck me was the emotional depth of their relationship; their banter, vulnerabilities, and the longing they can’t quite escape make this more than just a thrilling adventure. If you enjoy spies, secrets, and a romance that simmers with tension, this book is a must-read!

A delightfully sapphic twist on Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a second chance romance, open door spice, and a fun spy mission!

Is this a realistic view of how the CIA works? No, but I'm a big proponent of suspension of disbelief and had a great time following Yardley, KC, and a cast of diverse supporting characters on their mission. We follow the pair through different parts of the world and various personas, my favorite of which being Max and Daphne towards the end. Despite the twists and turns, the outcome was predictable, something I personally did not mind as I was in this book for the journey, not the destination.
If I Told You, I'd Have to Kill You does a nice job of balancing the action and romance, though sometimes felt long-winded with the analysis of Yardley and KC's relationship and future. I appreciated that the author made an effort to criticize the flaws of the agency, particularly how heteronormative and patriarchal many of the protocols and red tape within our government and society are, even if it came off as slightly cringe at times. And while I appreciated the spicy scenes, they did often come out of the blue, which I excused the lack of buildup due to Yardley and KC's long-term relationship.
All in all, I had a wonderful time reading this book and would recommend! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

Queer female spies? Yes, please. The book felt heavy on the "spy stuff" as I read it, but I could definitely imagine the various action scenes and enjoyed that experience. The pacing of the book was reasonable to me; there wasn't much time spent on the relationship between Yardley and KC before their secret (and overlapping!) lives were revealed to each other spectacularly.

The book definitely packed a lot of action with the relationship arc between the main characters, and I appreciated the banter between them. Both Yardley and KC are written as versatile, highly intelligent, and quirky characters. This is the type of book that I wish could be made into a movie.

It was so fun! I loved every page of it. I loved how visual the writing was - I could see the action movie scenes (and this really would be an amazing movie— someone get them a deal!!) but I really loved the relationship building as well. So sweet, steamy, and lovely! Highly recommend!

If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You was such a delight to read! It has everything you’re looking for if you love the sapphic exes “will they won’t they” trope! And I can’t forget to mention the pining and the slow burn! Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the detail Mae Marvel placed on each sentence, each character description, each word choice. It was all so carefully and passionately planned out; I was lost in this book! Most importantly, I enjoyed how each character was so relatable. It spoke to the mistakes we make as humans, and how there’s always a way to right those mistakes; and if we right those mistakes, we may even get our happily ever after. I would give If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You more than five stars if I could!

This spin on a "Mrs. and Mrs. Smith" type of story is so fun, has fresh elements, and I was entertained the whole way through. Both KC and Yardley are relatable and entertaining main characters, and I appreciate the ways in which they both developed through a combination of plot-driven circumstances and internal motivation to grow and change. This is a fast-paced, sexy read about highly skilled spies and it is a great blend of thriller and romance.