A Spy's Secret

by Rachel Astor

She's wholesome as apple pie… Or is she?Bakery owner Ava Katz adores everything about her adopted hometown of Ambrosia Falls—especially her best friend, mystery writer Zach Harrison. But the bucolic setting is hiding something—or someone—more sinister. The Apple Cider Festival is threatened by a series of mishaps, and Zach’s young daughter goes missing—just as the spark between Ava and her neighbor begins to explode into flames. Has Ava's mysterious past plunged them into danger? Can Zach solve the tangled mystery of just who his best friend really is—and will Ava find his child before it's too late for them all?From Harlequin Romantic Danger. Passion. Drama.

Genres: Harlequin, Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published September 24, 2024

About the author

Rachel Astor is a twin (yes, probably the evil one), a stepmother (not as wicked as you'd think), and a USA Today Bestselling Author who spends a suspiciously large portion of her days correcting the word "the".

She's had a lot of jobs (bookseller, realtor, 834 assorted admin roles), but none as, ahem, interesting, as when she waitressed at a small-town bar named after a dog. 🐶

When she’s not crafting romantic comedies that blend heat, humor, and heart, Rachel splits her time between the city, the lake, and as many made-up worlds as possible.

Reviews

[Julie Booklover]

I decided to read this book based on the description, small town, suspense, and I need a book to read. It turns out I made an excellent decision. I was immediately hooked, and did not want the story to end.
We jump right in to find out Ava has been trained as an operative and has been living a lie for the past few years. Fast forward five years, and we have Ava living in the small town of Ambrosia Falls. She owns the bakery there.

One of her favorite customers is the single father Zach. He is a local mystery writer, and a friend. Both have their reasons for not getting close, but are ignoring their feeling. It is time for the Apple Cider Festival and the influx of tourists in town the festival brings.

During the festival, as accidents begin to happen, Ava feels things are about to change. It is then Zach delivers terrible news. As the two search, the twists and turns, the feelings of intensity rise, so do the feelings for each other. But will they let them bubble to the top?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin - Romance | Harlequin Romantic Suspense for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

[Susan]

I made the mistake of starting this book in the evening and got so involved that I didn't put it down until I turned the last page well past my bedtime.

The story starts with a bang as Ava, an undercover operative of some kind, discovers her partner of four years isn't what she thought he was. The intense scene ended in a fade-to-black moment, leaving the reader wondering what happened.

Fast forward five years, and we find Ava living in the tiny town of Ambrosia Falls, where she owns a bakery. She is cheerful and friendly to everyone she meets. But her favorite is probably Zach, a local mystery writer who hangs out in her shop to do his writing. Zach is the single dad of ten-year-old Chloe, the center of his life.

Ava and Zach have kept their relationship strictly in the friend zone. Ava's past keeps her from getting too close to anyone, knowing she could have to disappear at a moment's notice. For Zach, the last time he loved it ended in disaster. He doesn't want to risk his friendship with Ava, so he ignores his feelings, which have been growing for years.

The story opens as the town begins its yearly Apple Cider Festival. Grumpy Zach rolls his eyes at the over-the-top reactions of tourists visiting the bakery, while Ava loves interacting with them. She loves the normalcy of her new life. However, when a temporary water tower collapses in the middle of the festival, Ava has a bad feeling that things are about to change. That feeling is reinforced when the temporary stage catches fire in the early morning hours. Sure that her old partner has found her, Ava is ready to run when a panicked Zach tells her that Chloe has disappeared.

Warned not to call the police, it is up to Ava and Zach to find Chloe before it's too late. Zach is stunned as Ava transforms from a bubbly baker to a deadly operative in the blink of an eye. I was glued to the pages through the twists and turns of their search. The intensity ramped up with every page until the nail-biter of the final confrontation.

The intense situation brings Zach and Ava's feelings for each other to the surface. The question is, will they have the courage to take a chance on love?

[RomanceByTheBook]

A Spy’s Secret is a small-town romance with a cat-and-mouse suspense twist.

This is my first Romantic Suspense book from Harlequin, but it won’t be my last. This was a fun, fast, and easy read. I loved how Rachel took that typical charming small-town tropey romance and put this fast-paced cat-and-mouse twist to it. It’s such an easy book to sink into and things move along quickly, which is pretty typical for a category romance. For those who are new to category romances, be aware of the fact that these kinds of books aren’t meant to have lots of depth and a lot is going to happen in a short period of time. What I would recommend when reading this book and any other category of romance is just to enjoy the ride. Don’t overthink it.

This is a clean romance and not a dark suspense. What I mean is that the most that happens romantically between the two MCs is that they kiss, and the suspense is not gruesome, chilling, or dark in nature. Both the romance and the suspense are light and entertaining. I loved the little bit of time that I got to spend in Ambrosia Falls. What a fun quirky town! Rachel nailed those small-town vibes, and I hope I get to visit this town again in future books. The characters were all great. Both Ava and Zach are great MCs and instantly likeable. I enjoyed the fact that Ava was the retired spy who took charge when danger came crashing into their small town. It was such a great, addictive read. I loved the chemistry between Ava and Zach. There is this great friends-to-lovers trope chemistry between them. I just devoured everything this book had to offer.

A Spy’s Secret is an easy-to-love Harlequin Suspense novel, and I can’t wait to see what Rachel writes next.

Click on the link to read more of our reviews on our blog: https://romancebythebook.com/book-rev...

[Katie Mettner]

I love starting a new series that features a small town and a small-town festival, and that's what you get with A Spy's Secret. Ava is living in Ambrosia Falls after starting over after her previous life went up in flames. She's been running the coffee shop/bakery in town for five years and crushing on the local writer who likes to take up a booth at her shop every day.

Zach is the handsome and hunky single dad of Ambrosia Falls who isn't looking for love. The last time he did that, his dream world fell apart, and he was left to raise his little girl alone. There was no way he was risking his friendship with Ava, even for a chance at something more. He's come to rely on her friendship too much and doesn't want to lose it.

Enter the danger. Who is watching them? Why is the festival falling victim to so many calamities this year? No one knows, but Ava has a sneaky suspicion, and the very idea is terrifying. Has her past finally found her?

If you love small-town festivals, single dads, and a past with enough secrets to fill a bushel basket, you're going to love A Spy's Secret! You'll love all the people in this little small town with big secrets.

[Jessica]

Ava is a bakery owners whose past is coming to get her in a big way disrupting her quiet life in this town with her friend Zach and daughter being cause in the cross fires. When a few incidents happen at the local Apple Cider Festival its seems to suspicious and close to be just mere incidents. Now Ava wants to run to keep those close to her safe but knows what she must do when Zach daughter gets kidnapped.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is fast-paced and kept me engaged from beginning to end. I especially liked watching Zach slowly discover that Ava is not who he thought she was. While Zach is a concerned dad who would do anything for his child, Ava is the professional who knows how to get close to the kidnapper. It was refreshing to see Zach take a back seat and let Ava handle things. Overall, this was a great book and I would definitely recommend it.

[Tara]

Thanks to NetGalley and Halequin for access to a copy for review.

This was a lot of fun. I have not read any other books by Rachel Astor and I haven't read many Harlequin Romantic Suspense books in the past few years. I forget how much plot can fit into a category romance.

I liked that the FMC is the one with past as a spy. Ava and Zach are both fun characters. Ava's determination to leave gets a bit old, but at least she never gets to go with that plan. There are definitley some plot handwaves around why Ava's past is coming out to get her - but that isn't what this story about. The story is about Ava and Zach and the circustances have them spending a lot of time together. They are avery cute couple. The small town apple fistival is a great backdrop.

Recommended.

[Valeri Sullivan (vsulvn29)]

‘Ava took a good, long look at her town.’

In this author’s third romantic suspense of the year for Harlequin the town of Ambrosia Fall’s is celebrating their annual apple festival and in the process driving local writer Zach crazy much to the amusement of his best gal pal, Ava...aka the Sparrow. When the festival is besieged by ‘accidents’ and odd things start happening around her bakery Ava is afraid her past has caught up with her. Before she can make a run for it Zach and his preteen daughter are pulled into the intrigue and Ava has to take a stand and protect the people and the town she’s grown to love. This author keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeve next!

[Tina Loves To Read]

This is a Romantic Suspense. I will start by saying a spy book is normally not my thing, but this book pulled me in from the beginning. I really loved this book, and I loved getting to know the characters. The beginning of this book was slower moving, but that gives you the time to really know the characters and the town that this book took place in. Then, the pacing really speeds up and you get all the action and suspense which I was living from. The only thing I really did not love is that Ava's character was a little wishy washy in a few parts, and that drove me crazy. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

[Melanie]

A good romantic suspense. It was a quick easy read. There was a lot of suspense and a good back story that kept me on the edge of my seat. I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a sweet romance with a little bit of espionage mixed in. Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Sheri Jesse]

A surprisingly good book. I loved everything about this story and would like to revisit this family in future books.

[Keisha Morgan]

I liked the idea of the book, and loved the characters. But the book felt anti-climatic for me.

[Hsiau Wei]

Ava, a coffee shop owner in Ambrosia Falls, is rebuilding her life after a troubled past, while quietly crushing on Zach, a handsome single dad who frequents her shop. Zach values their friendship and avoids romantic risks after past heartbreak. However, mysterious incidents during the town's apple festival raise suspicions that Ava’s past may have caught up with her. As danger looms, Ava and Zach grow closer, making for a sweet romance set against a charming small-town backdrop. This is perfect for fans of small-town festivals, single dads, and love stories with hidden secrets.