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Covert Affairs #1
Partnership
Syler Perrin's the best in the world at what he does, but beyond that he's sort of a mess. Case in point: the engineer and cyber security specialist landed his job as Deputy Director of the covert affairs division by hacking into it while drunk off his ass on cheap tequila after getting dumped.
Turns out the CIA was in desperate need of his particular brand of help.
Special Agent Arthur Dufault is also the best in the world at what he does, which as far as Syler can tell is destroying every piece of equipment he makes and flirting with everything that moves.
It wouldn't be so bad, really, if the giant blond menace hadn't taken a shine to him, demanding Syler act as his handler for every mission.
Oh, and also if there wasn’t a hacker-turned-cyber-terrorist who kept eluding them.
Being forced to partner up with Dufault to put a stop to it was bad enough. Discovering that Arthur wanted him was a whole other headache.
Or: how the most notorious field operative in the CIA wooed his reluctant handler – a tale of patience, persistence, and sass, with a dash of international espionage for variety.
Delightfully domestic happy ending guaranteed, some explosions may apply.
Turns out the CIA was in desperate need of his particular brand of help.
Special Agent Arthur Dufault is also the best in the world at what he does, which as far as Syler can tell is destroying every piece of equipment he makes and flirting with everything that moves.
It wouldn't be so bad, really, if the giant blond menace hadn't taken a shine to him, demanding Syler act as his handler for every mission.
Oh, and also if there wasn’t a hacker-turned-cyber-terrorist who kept eluding them.
Being forced to partner up with Dufault to put a stop to it was bad enough. Discovering that Arthur wanted him was a whole other headache.
Or: how the most notorious field operative in the CIA wooed his reluctant handler – a tale of patience, persistence, and sass, with a dash of international espionage for variety.
Delightfully domestic happy ending guaranteed, some explosions may apply.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2020
122 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
July 8, 2020
4.5 Stars
This was fun!
A delightful spy caper with heart and humor! Featuring a snarky, sweetly vulnerable computer hacker (turned CIA agent) and a suave, lovable secret agent, this story was all kinds of delightful.
If you are looking for a fun romp with no angst, charming characters, adorable wooing, cute pining, swoon-worthy devotion, slow-burn romance, and engaging secondary characters, you should check this one out!
Other reviewers compare the story to "if secret agents Q-and-James-Bond-fell-in-love," and that is an apt description. This story has a cinematic feel to it, with vivid action scenes playing out like clips from a blockbuster spy movie. When Special Agent Arthur Dufault demands that Syler Perrin, (cyber security specialist extraordinaire), become his handler, the reader gets to watch as their endearing courtship unfolds via a series of international espionage escapades.
Both men stole my heart. They are likable, kind, caring people who make you want to root for their happiness. Arthur woos and pines with sweet devotion, while Syler bumbles and blushes in adorable obliviousness. And the secondary characters are such a caring found/chosen family unit! The whole story has this good-natured, good-hearted vibe that was a perfect fit for me.
Volha has an awesome review for this story (that says everything I wish I could have in my own review)!
Arthur and Syler are in a good place romantically when the story ends, but since this is book one of the Covert Affairs series, the reader knows that there are more adventures to come for these two. I look forward to following them and discovering more from this author.
Highly recommend!
This was fun!
A delightful spy caper with heart and humor! Featuring a snarky, sweetly vulnerable computer hacker (turned CIA agent) and a suave, lovable secret agent, this story was all kinds of delightful.
If you are looking for a fun romp with no angst, charming characters, adorable wooing, cute pining, swoon-worthy devotion, slow-burn romance, and engaging secondary characters, you should check this one out!
Other reviewers compare the story to "if secret agents Q-and-James-Bond-fell-in-love," and that is an apt description. This story has a cinematic feel to it, with vivid action scenes playing out like clips from a blockbuster spy movie. When Special Agent Arthur Dufault demands that Syler Perrin, (cyber security specialist extraordinaire), become his handler, the reader gets to watch as their endearing courtship unfolds via a series of international espionage escapades.
Both men stole my heart. They are likable, kind, caring people who make you want to root for their happiness. Arthur woos and pines with sweet devotion, while Syler bumbles and blushes in adorable obliviousness. And the secondary characters are such a caring found/chosen family unit! The whole story has this good-natured, good-hearted vibe that was a perfect fit for me.
Volha has an awesome review for this story (that says everything I wish I could have in my own review)!
Arthur and Syler are in a good place romantically when the story ends, but since this is book one of the Covert Affairs series, the reader knows that there are more adventures to come for these two. I look forward to following them and discovering more from this author.
Highly recommend!
July 2, 2020
This author is new to me, but I am so glad that I picked this book up. The deadpan humor and absolutely lovable characters made this so much fun to read. It goes like this: government spy extraordinaire gets smitten with geeky and clueless but brilliant hacker turned government IT specialist. The courtship spans months where one is wooing and the other is absolutely oblivious, but the reader knows and relishes the knowledge and the obviousness of every effort.
I loved Arthur Dufault and his relentless but gentle pursuit of the socially awkward Syler Perrin. One thing I noticed about the characters and their development was the fact that author relied more on actions and events transpiring between two men rather than lengthy monologues and internal musings. I liked that. Syler at times was hilarious with his dry humor delivery, and Arthur despite being a bit of Casanova in the field took it all with good grace and was devoted to him. This was not insta, nor were men professing undying love by the time the story was over, but I felt the fondness from Syler and genuine affection from Arthur. With time their love will grow for sure.
There was a lot of computer talk. I am not that tech savvy, but it was relevant to the story and never felt like too much. I liked that both characters were a bit flawed but lovable anyway. There was no major angst, rivalry or office intrigue. That was a refreshing change - all the agents made up one big family. Level of steam, when men got to it (yes they did, author didn't leave us high and dry LOL) was medium spiced with funny quips delivered at most uncommon times. I loved it.
All in all, told from mainly dual POV with addition of couple others this was steadily paced office romance with a lot of tech talk, enough suspense and action, plenty tweed suits of unfortunate color, Q-and-James-Bond-fell-in-love vibe, the type of humor that I enjoy, gentle and steadfast affection and finding the person who gets the real you. I enjoyed it from first page to the last. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review.
I loved Arthur Dufault and his relentless but gentle pursuit of the socially awkward Syler Perrin. One thing I noticed about the characters and their development was the fact that author relied more on actions and events transpiring between two men rather than lengthy monologues and internal musings. I liked that. Syler at times was hilarious with his dry humor delivery, and Arthur despite being a bit of Casanova in the field took it all with good grace and was devoted to him. This was not insta, nor were men professing undying love by the time the story was over, but I felt the fondness from Syler and genuine affection from Arthur. With time their love will grow for sure.
There was a lot of computer talk. I am not that tech savvy, but it was relevant to the story and never felt like too much. I liked that both characters were a bit flawed but lovable anyway. There was no major angst, rivalry or office intrigue. That was a refreshing change - all the agents made up one big family. Level of steam, when men got to it (yes they did, author didn't leave us high and dry LOL) was medium spiced with funny quips delivered at most uncommon times. I loved it.
All in all, told from mainly dual POV with addition of couple others this was steadily paced office romance with a lot of tech talk, enough suspense and action, plenty tweed suits of unfortunate color, Q-and-James-Bond-fell-in-love vibe, the type of humor that I enjoy, gentle and steadfast affection and finding the person who gets the real you. I enjoyed it from first page to the last. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review.
July 24, 2020
3,75 stars
I had quite a good time with this fun-take of what many readers have accurately described as ‘James Bond falls in love with Q’.
So, what’s to enjoy?
First: the snarky, sarcastic and self-deprecating tone of the writing.
We also get two very sympathetic MCs:
Syler has a brilliant mind when it comes to IT and computers but has absolutely no receptors for social and emotional matters. He is the epitome of a lovable nerd who remains totally oblivious of ‘that kind of stuff’, and in particular of Arthur’s wooing for quite a long time.
Ben Wishaw is definitely the perfect casting for Syler and well, that’s Q for you!
Blond, tall and athletic Arthur, seven years senior of Syler, is equally charming. He's just what you'd expect of a ‘typical’ agent (a penchant for blowing up things and leaving a ‘mess’) It is rather amusing how this hard-ass guy falls for gadget guy Syler and is not afraid to show it.
I did feel a teeny bit sorry for Arthur because he tries so hard to get his man, and Syler is totally clueless what’s happening.
Although I enjoyed what’s on offer here on the romance front, it could have been more.
We are in Syler’s head a lot and although he appreciates Arthur on various levels, I didn’t really feel the vibes that he might fall for the guy.
Yes, Syler and Arthur do get on, like each other and share quite a bit of fun banter, but real chemistry? I’m not convinced. But then, this is the first book in a series.
I also noted that there is a lot of what I call quite unkindly ‘techno-babble.’ Not that you really need to understand it all to get the gist, but … it’s there. And I would also have been happier with a little less narrative and more dialogue, particularly between the MCs and once they get together.
Still, this was entertaining and cute in a 'don't take this seriously' way, and I’m happy enough to revisit these guys in book 2!
Please check out Rachel's review for a fun analysis!
I had quite a good time with this fun-take of what many readers have accurately described as ‘James Bond falls in love with Q’.
So, what’s to enjoy?
First: the snarky, sarcastic and self-deprecating tone of the writing.
We also get two very sympathetic MCs:
Syler has a brilliant mind when it comes to IT and computers but has absolutely no receptors for social and emotional matters. He is the epitome of a lovable nerd who remains totally oblivious of ‘that kind of stuff’, and in particular of Arthur’s wooing for quite a long time.
Ben Wishaw is definitely the perfect casting for Syler and well, that’s Q for you!
Blond, tall and athletic Arthur, seven years senior of Syler, is equally charming. He's just what you'd expect of a ‘typical’ agent (a penchant for blowing up things and leaving a ‘mess’) It is rather amusing how this hard-ass guy falls for gadget guy Syler and is not afraid to show it.
I did feel a teeny bit sorry for Arthur because he tries so hard to get his man, and Syler is totally clueless what’s happening.
Although I enjoyed what’s on offer here on the romance front, it could have been more.
We are in Syler’s head a lot and although he appreciates Arthur on various levels, I didn’t really feel the vibes that he might fall for the guy.
Yes, Syler and Arthur do get on, like each other and share quite a bit of fun banter, but real chemistry? I’m not convinced. But then, this is the first book in a series.
I also noted that there is a lot of what I call quite unkindly ‘techno-babble.’ Not that you really need to understand it all to get the gist, but … it’s there. And I would also have been happier with a little less narrative and more dialogue, particularly between the MCs and once they get together.
Still, this was entertaining and cute in a 'don't take this seriously' way, and I’m happy enough to revisit these guys in book 2!
Please check out Rachel's review for a fun analysis!
Did not finish
July 5, 2020DNF @ 11%
It was obvious from the first page that this was going to be silly and a bit of a spoof of spy fiction. Which was fine with me -- silliness can be delightful, and a great reprieve from more serious fiction.
Apparently it's a debut novel, and I think the author has potential. But as far as I'm concerned, she's not yet ready for prime time. Head-hopping -- slipping in and out of multiple characters' POVs during the course of a single scene -- is amateur-hour stuff, and one of the most basic of writing mistakes. There were occasional awkward uses of language as well, which I might have been able to put up with, but the head-hopping is a deal-breaker.
I borrowed this from KU; if I'd bought it I would have returned it for a refund. Still, like I said, the author has potential, and if she can get a grip on the fundamentals I'd consider giving her another try.
It was obvious from the first page that this was going to be silly and a bit of a spoof of spy fiction. Which was fine with me -- silliness can be delightful, and a great reprieve from more serious fiction.
Apparently it's a debut novel, and I think the author has potential. But as far as I'm concerned, she's not yet ready for prime time. Head-hopping -- slipping in and out of multiple characters' POVs during the course of a single scene -- is amateur-hour stuff, and one of the most basic of writing mistakes. There were occasional awkward uses of language as well, which I might have been able to put up with, but the head-hopping is a deal-breaker.
I borrowed this from KU; if I'd bought it I would have returned it for a refund. Still, like I said, the author has potential, and if she can get a grip on the fundamentals I'd consider giving her another try.
September 5, 2020
Okay, despite my harsh comments in the notes/highlights, I really liked the story. Very much what I would imagine if Q & Bond were to meet and fight and snark and flirt and fall in love.
I'm already tempted by the second one as well...I'll probably read it today.
That said, I do have to comment on the last sex scene. While it was very sexy I was distracted by trying to figure out who was doing what. I absolutely hate that "the other man" "the blond man" "the agent" "the older man" (all describing Arthur in this relatively short scene) in published fiction. I actually re-read the section mentally substituting their names and it would have worked perfectly well without the clunky additions we find here. (Tom Scott had a video that even mentioned gay romance/slash fiction writers using it awkwardly.But I can't be assed out to find it right now. He called it synecdoche. I'm not sure it fits the classic definition of that word but watch the video.) (Yes, it annoyed me enough to go look for the link.)
It happens a lot in the story as a whole but was glaringly noticeable in this chapter. Probably would have rated 4.25 stars if I didn't feel frustrated by having to re-read so many passages trying to figure out the action.
I'm already tempted by the second one as well...I'll probably read it today.
That said, I do have to comment on the last sex scene. While it was very sexy I was distracted by trying to figure out who was doing what. I absolutely hate that "the other man" "the blond man" "the agent" "the older man" (all describing Arthur in this relatively short scene) in published fiction. I actually re-read the section mentally substituting their names and it would have worked perfectly well without the clunky additions we find here. (Tom Scott had a video that even mentioned gay romance/slash fiction writers using it awkwardly.
It happens a lot in the story as a whole but was glaringly noticeable in this chapter. Probably would have rated 4.25 stars if I didn't feel frustrated by having to re-read so many passages trying to figure out the action.
June 11, 2021
I've never read a book with CIA and lighthearted together. They went together shockingly well. I was so sure this would be one of those one-step-forward-two-steps-backward kind of relationships. I mean, one of them is ex-military and ex-delta. But the one who was more hesitant to get into the relationship was surprisingly the geek who hacked into the covert affairs division of the CIA drunk off his ass on tequila.
It wasn't insta-love which I appreciated greatly. Unconventional meet cute instead. Syler, an intern then, is so rude to Arthur who doesn't know what to do with this mouthy new recruit when usually he's the one being rude to everyone. They were so cute together. From the way Arhtur always lies on Syler's office couch with his head on his lap to the way Syler agrees to name a CIA car Sonya and reserves it for Arthur just because he asked (ok begged). And let's not forget the diamond encrusted Rolex with a little tinkering to make it a lockpick he gifts his not-boyfriend.
I must admit I kind of skipped the sex scenes though.
It wasn't insta-love which I appreciated greatly. Unconventional meet cute instead. Syler, an intern then, is so rude to Arthur who doesn't know what to do with this mouthy new recruit when usually he's the one being rude to everyone. They were so cute together. From the way Arhtur always lies on Syler's office couch with his head on his lap to the way Syler agrees to name a CIA car Sonya and reserves it for Arthur just because he asked (ok begged). And let's not forget the diamond encrusted Rolex with a little tinkering to make it a lockpick he gifts his not-boyfriend.
I must admit I kind of skipped the sex scenes though.
July 6, 2020
I LOVED this book!😍. The witty banter, slow burn, and James Bond type missions were just great. I can't speak to how accurate the tech speak is in it, but I don't even care. It was such a surprise and refreshing change. I loved how badass the MCS are in their respectable fields, and the respect they had for each other. Arthur was a flirt in the field, but surprisingly vulnerable and loyal to Syler. I can't wait for book 2, and I look forward to more books by this author.
June 29, 2021
This is quite a mixed bag. It is actually entertaining in a way, filled with humor and action. The story revolves around the new Deputy Director, Syler, who is basically an expert hacker / engineering genius and CIA Agent Arthur. Majority of the book took place within the CIA HQ whereby Syler deal with paperworks, design spy gadget and handling this wayward Agent Arthur. I like their interaction and I find of most of their conversation amusing. Arthur is smitten about Syler and he is totally shameless about. I like the way he tried to woo Syler with all the small gestures.
The premise of the story, the action involving the CIA mission and the character interaction are all good. The only thing lacking is the sexual tension and heat. Throughout the whole book, I feel like watching a TV show instead of reading a romance. Too much showing and telling, but not much feeling. I'm surprised there are three sex scenes because outside of the bedroom there is no mention of sexual desire at all. Everything feel very PG-13 except when they are in the bedroom. I'll be reading the sequel because I do like both the character especially Arthur. Eventhough is he supposed to be this big badass spy agent, he is such a dear. Everytime he call Syler, "sweetheart", I went all mushy inside.
The premise of the story, the action involving the CIA mission and the character interaction are all good. The only thing lacking is the sexual tension and heat. Throughout the whole book, I feel like watching a TV show instead of reading a romance. Too much showing and telling, but not much feeling. I'm surprised there are three sex scenes because outside of the bedroom there is no mention of sexual desire at all. Everything feel very PG-13 except when they are in the bedroom. I'll be reading the sequel because I do like both the character especially Arthur. Eventhough is he supposed to be this big badass spy agent, he is such a dear. Everytime he call Syler, "sweetheart", I went all mushy inside.
August 26, 2020
This could easily have been a 4 star read, with a bit more fleshing out of the mystery part it could have ventured in direction of 5 stars.
The basic MCs have a easy banter and companionable relationship going, with the tough guy actually being putty in the hands of the clueless nerd. The characters itself were entertaining and individuell.
So far so good.
Unfortunately, the farer into the book the more the author tried to avoid "name"-repetition and instead decribed the characters with replacement words like "the agent", "the handler", "the blond", "the smaller man", "the engineer", etc. etc.
This is a terrible bad habit that creates distance to the reader, especially in sex scenes it is really extremely disturbing and misplaced. The frequent replacement of names and pronouns disturbed the flow of reading to such an extent that I had put the book aside several times because I was annoyed and irritated.
Names may be repeated, "he" is a suitable non-word, which is not as distracting as any other word.
So - while charcters and story would have been entertaining, the writing needs improvement - or let's say, it's just not the style that I enjoy.
The basic MCs have a easy banter and companionable relationship going, with the tough guy actually being putty in the hands of the clueless nerd. The characters itself were entertaining and individuell.
So far so good.
Unfortunately, the farer into the book the more the author tried to avoid "name"-repetition and instead decribed the characters with replacement words like "the agent", "the handler", "the blond", "the smaller man", "the engineer", etc. etc.
This is a terrible bad habit that creates distance to the reader, especially in sex scenes it is really extremely disturbing and misplaced. The frequent replacement of names and pronouns disturbed the flow of reading to such an extent that I had put the book aside several times because I was annoyed and irritated.
Names may be repeated, "he" is a suitable non-word, which is not as distracting as any other word.
So - while charcters and story would have been entertaining, the writing needs improvement - or let's say, it's just not the style that I enjoy.
July 23, 2022
Fast CIA romp.
Cocky spy, cocky handler
save the world. With cocks.
Cocky spy, cocky handler
save the world. With cocks.
August 10, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up for this fairly pedestrian 😴 slow-burn spy/AI/hacking 😎 romance between Q [Syler] and James Bond [Arthur]. I personally can't see the current Q [Ben Whishaw] and Daniel Craig ever getting it together 😏...but who knows?? Maybe the next James Bond might be bi?? Fat chance of that ever happening don't you think?? I'll be leaving this series here I'm afraid 😕.
July 3, 2020
I loved this book. It was an joy ride from beginning to end.
Syler and Arthur was hilarious and fun and I was completely absorbed right from the beginning.
Syler is the snarkiest genius and having to deal with Arthur was the best. He also had to be one of the most oblivious characters but watching the light bulb turn on was fun.
Their work life was fascinating as well. There was a good balance of fun suspense as they tried to stop a cyber attack.
There are some niggling editing things that bothered me (like repetitive words) but with time, I’m sure those will get worked out.
If you want a fun suspense novel with delightful characters, try this one. I can’t wait for book 2!
I received a copy for an honest review.
Syler and Arthur was hilarious and fun and I was completely absorbed right from the beginning.
Syler is the snarkiest genius and having to deal with Arthur was the best. He also had to be one of the most oblivious characters but watching the light bulb turn on was fun.
Their work life was fascinating as well. There was a good balance of fun suspense as they tried to stop a cyber attack.
There are some niggling editing things that bothered me (like repetitive words) but with time, I’m sure those will get worked out.
If you want a fun suspense novel with delightful characters, try this one. I can’t wait for book 2!
I received a copy for an honest review.
September 3, 2020
I'm pretty sure the hacking here would either make any self-respecting Computer Science major cry or laugh because the hacking here is probably about as realistic as what a certain hackerman does.
but maybe this is some super advanced hacking, so what do I know? Syler is the hackerman here.
Though honestly, it's not supposed to be realistic, so it actually didn't bother me much.
What did make an impression though, is the delicious, bantery, slow-burn, opposites-to-friends-to-lovers relationship of Syler and Arthur.
It also helps that I love the charming (or obnoxiously flirty, depending on who you ask), entirely to full of himself, lone-wolf/loose cannon agent Arthur with his perfect counter-balance, the pragmatic, competent to OP-levels, but socially-inept (his words, not mine) Syler who hides his insecurities under a prickly exterior of snark and sass.
tl;dr: plenty of fun banter, Arthur being flirty, Syler being stubborn (or oblivious, not sure which it is), cracked egos, James-Bond-worthy gadgets, explosions (which may or may not have been caused by the former), and cuddles.
but maybe this is some super advanced hacking, so what do I know? Syler is the hackerman here.
Though honestly, it's not supposed to be realistic, so it actually didn't bother me much.
What did make an impression though, is the delicious, bantery, slow-burn, opposites-to-friends-to-lovers relationship of Syler and Arthur.
It also helps that I love the charming (or obnoxiously flirty, depending on who you ask), entirely to full of himself, lone-wolf/loose cannon agent Arthur with his perfect counter-balance, the pragmatic, competent to OP-levels, but socially-inept (his words, not mine) Syler who hides his insecurities under a prickly exterior of snark and sass.
tl;dr: plenty of fun banter, Arthur being flirty, Syler being stubborn (or oblivious, not sure which it is), cracked egos, James-Bond-worthy gadgets, explosions (which may or may not have been caused by the former), and cuddles.
August 18, 2023
Handler/Spy, Grumpy/Sunshine, and lots of cute banter.
This story was all sorts of adorable and tempered it well with a little bit of action. It was short and definitely left me wanting more spy stuff, but I could tell what I was getting pretty early on. It’s not exactly slow burn because it’s so short, but it kinda is. Not a problem though because the wooing was so darn cute.
This story was all sorts of adorable and tempered it well with a little bit of action. It was short and definitely left me wanting more spy stuff, but I could tell what I was getting pretty early on. It’s not exactly slow burn because it’s so short, but it kinda is. Not a problem though because the wooing was so darn cute.
January 30, 2021
Entertaining. This was over-the-top fun, but also irritating and in need of an editor. It's much too long, full of typos and confusing POVs, and the writing is often awkward, but I read the whole darn thing. The characters are fun and amusing and it was an easy read at a time when easy reads are just the thing. It's an exuberant secret agent romance full of explosions, very much a James Bond-Q pairing. I think it was probably 00Q fanfic first--the UK-ness of it all is a big clue. This book is not one to take too seriously and suspension of disbelief is required, perhaps most so in the scene where Syler makes sure to put his laptop far enough away from his soldering iron to be out of range of the flying sparks...
This is the author's first book and it reads that way. It's *full* of everyone's favourite writing pet peeve: the taller man, the shorter man, the blond, the brunet, the agent, the engineer, the other man, the older man, the younger man, the handler, again and again and again. Just say their names, please. There's other things that niggled--lack of character development, the mass of indistinguishable secondary characters, repetitive language, meandering plot, Syler's unexplained mastery of every skill there ever was, and more. This was fun and had great potential, but I don't feel the need to read the sequel.
This is the author's first book and it reads that way. It's *full* of everyone's favourite writing pet peeve: the taller man, the shorter man, the blond, the brunet, the agent, the engineer, the other man, the older man, the younger man, the handler, again and again and again. Just say their names, please. There's other things that niggled--lack of character development, the mass of indistinguishable secondary characters, repetitive language, meandering plot, Syler's unexplained mastery of every skill there ever was, and more. This was fun and had great potential, but I don't feel the need to read the sequel.
July 21, 2020
3.5 CIA stars
James Bond-ish CIA agent Arthur meets Q equivalent, tech savant, nerd Sylar (not sure why the “k” went missing). A decent action/suspense romp, slooow burn romance with decent chemistry. Steamy enough for most tastes I guess in the last 40%. I disliked the over-frequent use of “the blonde, the older man, the younger man, his handler” instead of their names. Threw me out of the story. Some small issues with the writing but it was still entertaining.
James Bond-ish CIA agent Arthur meets Q equivalent, tech savant, nerd Sylar (not sure why the “k” went missing). A decent action/suspense romp, slooow burn romance with decent chemistry. Steamy enough for most tastes I guess in the last 40%. I disliked the over-frequent use of “the blonde, the older man, the younger man, his handler” instead of their names. Threw me out of the story. Some small issues with the writing but it was still entertaining.
April 9, 2023
Highly entertaining
This book was a lot of fun. A friend recommended it, and I was drawn in from the first chapter. I loved the premise and the characters, and the action kept things hopping. It would be five stars with a round of editing/proofreading, as the errors did detract from my enjoyment of the story somewhat.
This book was a lot of fun. A friend recommended it, and I was drawn in from the first chapter. I loved the premise and the characters, and the action kept things hopping. It would be five stars with a round of editing/proofreading, as the errors did detract from my enjoyment of the story somewhat.
July 15, 2020
I'm so NOT against slow burn romance BUT this was too much.
RTC.
February 14, 2023
Five star! Sassy geeky cyber security prodigy and sexy field agent. Loved everything about this book, great writing, good pacing, stayed interesting throughout with an excellent balance of relationship and CIA side plot.
I love the sassy twist on this classic trope. Instead of a shy, insecure nerd, we get a sassy-mouthed confident analyst/cyber security expert. There is some great you-annoy-me banter during an excellent unknowingly-playing-hard-to-get phase. The second thing I loved was that the computer geek didn’t fall to his knees for the flirty agent, he seemed immune to his flirty shenanigans, which in turn stumped the stud muffin. Such fun!
No insta here, no insta lust or insta love. I extra love that it’s the player/cool guy that needs to work hard at getting the attention he wants.
James Bond vibes, contemporary, m/m. Dual POV but mostly one guy, HEA, duet, must be read in order. Pretty spicy not extremely graphic. Such a delight, highly recommend, surprisingly not recommended enough IMO.
I love the sassy twist on this classic trope. Instead of a shy, insecure nerd, we get a sassy-mouthed confident analyst/cyber security expert. There is some great you-annoy-me banter during an excellent unknowingly-playing-hard-to-get phase. The second thing I loved was that the computer geek didn’t fall to his knees for the flirty agent, he seemed immune to his flirty shenanigans, which in turn stumped the stud muffin. Such fun!
No insta here, no insta lust or insta love. I extra love that it’s the player/cool guy that needs to work hard at getting the attention he wants.
James Bond vibes, contemporary, m/m. Dual POV but mostly one guy, HEA, duet, must be read in order. Pretty spicy not extremely graphic. Such a delight, highly recommend, surprisingly not recommended enough IMO.
December 25, 2022
This was a lot of fun, but you do have to have a high tolerance for epithets (I kept forgetting which guy "the blond" was) and for a bit of POV laxity (not quite head-hopping but lack of clarity.) I would love to see this light, amusing story of a CIA computer specialist and a field agent given a solid edit, to polish up its charms. Syler's obviousness, and Arthur's determination, make a surprisingly sweet romance underlying the James-Bond adventure moments.
Syler is a computer genius who hacks into the CIA in a drunken moment, and is more or less drafted into the job. Arthur is a field agent and ex-Special-Forces, with a fondness for getting himself out of tight spots via explosions and destruction. No home-office handler has been able to either put up with or guide Arthur, until he starts finding out the benefits of Syler's talents. And until he starts first flirting with and then falling for the quirky young programmer.
I skimmed the sex scenes due to pronoun confusions even the epithets didn't fix, but the bulk of the story is a fast, fun read with moments of charm, and some moments of real emotion. Suspend your disbelief, Bond-style, and enjoy. Well worth the read if you're willing to have some tolerance for writing style.
Syler is a computer genius who hacks into the CIA in a drunken moment, and is more or less drafted into the job. Arthur is a field agent and ex-Special-Forces, with a fondness for getting himself out of tight spots via explosions and destruction. No home-office handler has been able to either put up with or guide Arthur, until he starts finding out the benefits of Syler's talents. And until he starts first flirting with and then falling for the quirky young programmer.
I skimmed the sex scenes due to pronoun confusions even the epithets didn't fix, but the bulk of the story is a fast, fun read with moments of charm, and some moments of real emotion. Suspend your disbelief, Bond-style, and enjoy. Well worth the read if you're willing to have some tolerance for writing style.
March 12, 2021
4.95 stars
So close to perfection! (Really, it's only one possessive that should've been a plural, two "breath" that should've been "breathe," and a handful of Britishisms in a CIA story that shaved off 0.05 points for me -- I'm soooo picky!) I'm absolutely delighted to meet this author! Witty, funny, snarky, with underlying sweetness and friendship between both the MCs and the supporting cast. Truly brilliant verbal fencing throughout. I really hope book #2 lives up to the standards set by this one.
BTW, this cover? Fantastic Syler!
So close to perfection! (Really, it's only one possessive that should've been a plural, two "breath" that should've been "breathe," and a handful of Britishisms in a CIA story that shaved off 0.05 points for me -- I'm soooo picky!) I'm absolutely delighted to meet this author! Witty, funny, snarky, with underlying sweetness and friendship between both the MCs and the supporting cast. Truly brilliant verbal fencing throughout. I really hope book #2 lives up to the standards set by this one.
BTW, this cover? Fantastic Syler!
April 11, 2021
I loved this!!! Witty, smart, fun, sexy, exciting, suspenseful, and intriguing, I was riveted as I relished each and every page. I fell into this world created, in with the fun cast of characters, and into this love story which was well fought for and so satisfying. Highly recommend this to m/m romance readers who are looking for an exciting story featuring spies and hilarious banter.
July 7, 2020
Delightful slow-burn story with intrigue, great dialogue, and finding love. I so loved these characters and how they finally grow to see each other for who they each really are. The dialogue was wonderful, full of snark, witty fun and wonderful banter. The pacing of this story is really good, I found myself reading and not wanting to put it down. The writing was good and I really loved the supporting characters too. I enjoyed the subject of AI and how it impacted this story. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will go looking for more.
Syler and Arthur develop an amazing connection that will touch your heart. This is truly a slow-burn romance that will bring you the reader along on their road to falling in love and learning to trust each other.
This is book one of the Covert Affairs series and i am looking forward to the next book of this series.
I was gifted this book from Gay Romance Reviews and i freely give my honest opinion and review.
Syler and Arthur develop an amazing connection that will touch your heart. This is truly a slow-burn romance that will bring you the reader along on their road to falling in love and learning to trust each other.
This is book one of the Covert Affairs series and i am looking forward to the next book of this series.
I was gifted this book from Gay Romance Reviews and i freely give my honest opinion and review.
July 3, 2020
A delightful book
Take one computer nerd who hacks his way into a job at the CIA and one notoriously difficult secret agent and you get a wonderfully wrought story of love and espionage. This one was off the charts! I loved it. I am a sucker for a good light hearted spy story and this one definitely fits the bill. I hope to see more of Arthur and Syler. There was just enough action to keep it engaging. The two MCs were great and I love the cute and clueless way Syler bumbles through the book. Awesome read!
Take one computer nerd who hacks his way into a job at the CIA and one notoriously difficult secret agent and you get a wonderfully wrought story of love and espionage. This one was off the charts! I loved it. I am a sucker for a good light hearted spy story and this one definitely fits the bill. I hope to see more of Arthur and Syler. There was just enough action to keep it engaging. The two MCs were great and I love the cute and clueless way Syler bumbles through the book. Awesome read!
September 7, 2020
Kind of fun, entertaining on some level but ultimately not what I wanted from a story with this setting. The biggest problems are 1. this is a 00Q fic that didn't bother to transfer *anything* from the clearly british setting over to the new US setting. 2. it's a romantic workplace comedy that just happens to be set in a spy organisation. The biggest problem is that the James Bond stand-in comes without all of the things that make James Bond, well James Bond and that the story is actually kind of boring if you want more than romantic comedy shenanigans.
Arthur DuFault isn't really charming, not really dangerous and not really tortured and PTSD riddled in the way that makes James Bond a multidimensional character. Sylar is Q from the frequently adorably tousled dark locks to the hacker skillz to the incredibly bad fashion sense and love for jumpers (another britishsm). I just don't agree with or am into the way he's written as the typical socially awkward nerd who is too busy being smart to notice anything going on around him.
I thought I was kidding when the first thing I thought upon reading the summary was "Oh, this is like a US version of Bond and Q fic! Fun!". When I started reading I thought it was clearly at least heavily inspired by that relationship until it became clear that this is just plain 00Q with the serial numbers only badly filed off. People wear joggers, love eating curry, "Bond" keeps calling the armed forced the "Service" and nobody uses contractions in their colloquial speech. (Ypu'd end up with alcohol poisoning if you drank every time something clearly british happens). The setting is the MI6 we know from Bond movies from the organizational structure to Sylar being called "S" when the author doesn't pay attention.
This is fiction. So of course you can re-imagine your fictional version of the CIA any way you want to. But especially that organization has been covered so thoroughly in every medium that your readers will come with some built in knowledge and they will be able to tell that whatever the organisation in this book is, it's NOT the CIA.
I just find that level of laziness kind of insulting.
Arthur DuFault isn't really charming, not really dangerous and not really tortured and PTSD riddled in the way that makes James Bond a multidimensional character. Sylar is Q from the frequently adorably tousled dark locks to the hacker skillz to the incredibly bad fashion sense and love for jumpers (another britishsm). I just don't agree with or am into the way he's written as the typical socially awkward nerd who is too busy being smart to notice anything going on around him.
I thought I was kidding when the first thing I thought upon reading the summary was "Oh, this is like a US version of Bond and Q fic! Fun!". When I started reading I thought it was clearly at least heavily inspired by that relationship until it became clear that this is just plain 00Q with the serial numbers only badly filed off. People wear joggers, love eating curry, "Bond" keeps calling the armed forced the "Service" and nobody uses contractions in their colloquial speech. (Ypu'd end up with alcohol poisoning if you drank every time something clearly british happens). The setting is the MI6 we know from Bond movies from the organizational structure to Sylar being called "S" when the author doesn't pay attention.
This is fiction. So of course you can re-imagine your fictional version of the CIA any way you want to. But especially that organization has been covered so thoroughly in every medium that your readers will come with some built in knowledge and they will be able to tell that whatever the organisation in this book is, it's NOT the CIA.
I just find that level of laziness kind of insulting.
July 6, 2020
Let's be honest: this is a Bond/Q fanfic adapted into a novel. I will be absolutely shocked if it's not. That's also why I picked it up. Stepping into this novel was like having a chat with an old friend and I've read my fair share of Bond/Q fics almost exactly like it, so that shouldn't be surprising. I had a great time.
I think it might not be as effective for those readers who've never spent time in the James Bond fandom. I also think the mushy POV flips could use some improvement. There were also a handful of noticeable typos that need fixed - nothing a sharp-eyed friend or hired copy editor couldn't handle.
I'm having a hard time evaluating this as an original standalone novel because it screams Bond/Q fic and that was my entire mindset while reading it. That being said, it was a slower burn, had minimal sex, some actually witty dialogue, was more or less lighthearted, and both men were switches: that's everything I want in a novel.
I think it might not be as effective for those readers who've never spent time in the James Bond fandom. I also think the mushy POV flips could use some improvement. There were also a handful of noticeable typos that need fixed - nothing a sharp-eyed friend or hired copy editor couldn't handle.
I'm having a hard time evaluating this as an original standalone novel because it screams Bond/Q fic and that was my entire mindset while reading it. That being said, it was a slower burn, had minimal sex, some actually witty dialogue, was more or less lighthearted, and both men were switches: that's everything I want in a novel.
July 9, 2020
I enjoyed the snarky banter between the two main characters in this action-adventure-alphabet soup agency tale. Within the first few pages, I knew I'd need a healthy helping of willful suspension of disbelief, but that's perfectly fine with me because I love escapist reading. There's a ton of chemistry between CIA agent Arthur and his "handler" Syler that leads to hot sex. The storyline moves quickly but doesn't feel rushed, and there's a solid HEA.
February 18, 2021
I really liked this book and I don't envy the author for how much research it must have taken to write it! The only con isn't really a con but more of a funny thing that even though all of the characters are American, they sound British. I don't know how other people feel about it, but it always makes me laugh when authors give their nationalities away so bad.
July 16, 2020
Amazon
That Syler manages to hack his way into a job with the CIA is crazy. That he and one of the agents he manages, Arthur Dufault, fall for each other, is even crazier. But that fall is a witty, action packed bit of fun.
When Syler's feeling a bit low after being dumped, he gets drunk and hacks his way into the CIA. Bad idea. Except not bad because it nabs him a job with the very place he hacks. Being in charge of the whole department should be easy peasy for Syler, but for one thing, or should I say, one person - Agent Arthur Dufault. Arthur somehow manages to never come back after a mission without having caused A LOT of damage, both to the gadgets Syler gives him, AND the various buildings he enters. Sigh...but he's charming and lovable, and determined to woo Syler. Syler is oblivious to the wooing for a long time, but once he realizes...SWOON!!
I loved this awesome spy caper. Syler and Arthur are both adorable and hot together and make me wish this new series would be made into a TV show. If it were, I'd be the first to watch every week!
ARC via Gay Romance Reviews for an honest review.
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September 6, 2021
Interesting spy caper about a computer hacker turned CIA IT expert, and ending up the handler of a CIA covert agent. The book read like James Bond/Q fanfiction, but where Q is Stiles. I love fanfiction, so of course, I felt right at home. The techno shop talk went straight over my head, but I was thoroughly entertained for a few hours.
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