Title: Code Word RomanceAuthor: Callie Walker
Pages: 320
Publication Date: March 18, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary / Romantic Suspense
Synopsis:
Two exes. One mission. A trip she’ll never forget…
Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt and just happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Europe’s youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen . . .
So when the prime minister receives a credible death threat, the CIA approaches Max with a a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister’s annual Italian trip.
It would be a dream if it weren’t for those pesky assassins and Flynn, Max’s ridiculously hot handler – the man who broke her heart years and years ago.
With her life now on the line, Max knows she has no choice but to lose herself in the role. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that’s a risk that she isn’t willing to take . . .
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My Thoughts on Code Word Romance:
Happy book birthday to Code Word Romance, a whirlwind romance filled with danger, adventure, political intrigue, and second chances. This is my first read by the author, but it won’t be my last. I loved the premise of an everyday woman stepping into the shoes of a powerful leader, and the blend of high-stakes espionage and heart-pounding romance kept me turning pages late into the night.
Max is a fantastic protagonist. She’s got a sharp wit and is a strong woman. After losing her restaurant because of Covid, she’s just trying to make ends meet, and her loss weighs heavily on her. So, when the CIA offers her a lot of money to impersonate a prime minister for a short period of time, she can’t resist. Of course, things get a lot more complicated when her assigned handler turns out to be Flynn, a boyfriend who broke her heart years ago.
Flynn is fantastic, and I can see why Max fell so deeply in love with him. Intelligent, protective, and charismatic, he’s dreamy, and the way he feels about Max is so swoon-worthy! Their romance hooked me from the start. There’s so much unresolved history simmering between them, and I was really interested in learning what pushed them apart because you could tell they still had those deep feelings. Every interaction between them crackled with sexual tension, and their chemistry was off the charts. I think their love story felt even more intense and charged because of the dangerous situations they were put in.
Between assassination attempts and high-stakes deception, the plot was action-packed and exciting. And the vibrant Italian backdrop added so much to the story. I love books set in Italy, and this one captured the setting well. It’s such a fun read, packed with action, humor, intrigue, and a fantastic second-chance romance that was funny, romantic, and intense. I can’t wait to read more by the author. Special thanks to Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- opposites attract
- fake dating
- bodyguard romance
- second chance romance
- fake identity
Great review! I hadn’t heard of this book before two, and now I’ve read two reviews in a row. 🙂 From your description, it sounds like something I’d enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Lisa! It was a fun one. 🙂