The Takedown by Carlie Walker (2023) Thank you @prhaudio and @berkleyromance for the #gifted listening copy of this fun, fast-paced romantic suspensethat checked every wildly entertaining box for me! #berkley #berkleypartner #prhaudioinfluencer
Sydney Swift is a CIA agent, jet-setting around the world, taking down the bad guys, and keeping her emotions locked down just as tightly as national security secrets. She hasn’t seen her family much over the past three years, and she has zero intention of going home for the holidays. That is, until the FBI comes knocking.
Her sister is getting married – news that Sydney is apparently getting from federal agents instead of her own family – and her fiancé, Johnny Jones, just happens to be part of a notorious crime family. Johnny will be spending the holidays at Sydney’s childhood home, and now she has an assignment unlike any other: go undercover as herself and uncover the details of Johnny’s next big heist. She can do this. She has to do this – for her sister, for her grandmother.
But things get complicated fast. Not just because Sydney is balancing her spy instincts with holiday traditions, but because Johnny’s annoyingly handsome bodyguard, Nick, is proving to be a major distraction. He’s funny, kind, dangerously perceptive, and always just a few steps away. The tension crackles between them – but can Sydney trust him?
This book was a blast! A perfect blend of romantic suspense, action, humor, and heart, The Takedown captures everything I love about the genre. The high-stakes danger keeps the pages flying, while Sydney’s over-the-top, meddling family adds laugh-out-loud moments that balance the intensity. Walker delivers a sizzling, emotionally charged romance, with Sydney and Nick’s undeniable chemistry clashing against their equally undeniable trust issues.
Between this and Walker’s newest release, Code Word Romance, she’s officially on my auto-buy list. If you love action-packed, wildly entertaining romantic thrillers, this is a must-read!
🎧Audiobook Thoughts🎧 Sarah Naughton delivers a fantastic solo narration, capturing the spy craft, danger, humor, and romance effortlessly. The audiobook runs 12 hours and 4 minutes, but it flew by because I couldn’t stop listening!
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 