Carlie Walker (1)

CIA Agent Sydney Swift has been hired by the FBI to infiltrate her own family to find evidence against Johnny, the crime boss that her sister, Calla is marrying. Her family thinks it's strange when Sydney returns home since her last visit was so long ago, so the wedding date is moved up to Christmas to insure that Sydney is available for the wedding. Sydney is conflicted with a desire to tell her sister what is going on and completing her mission. Other than not telling her family what is going on, Sydney finds a complication in Nick, Johnny's best man.

The Takedown is a ridiculously unrealistic story that tries too hard to be a suspenseful rom-com. The first part of the book shows Sydney's suspicions of Johnny and Nick in great detail, making her character fairly unlikable and the story overly repetitive, especially since her POV is the only one the reader gets. By the time the action and romance take hold, it is difficult to care what happens next, leaving the reader just wanting it to be over. There is an attempt at humor, but there is too little of it and it seems forced. Overall, The Takedown is a story that holds great promise but just doesn't deliver.… (plus d'informations)

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

A festive and fun spy rom com set against a Christmas backdrop. CIA agent, Sydney Swift returns home for the holidays but not to exchange gifts with family but on a mission, her assignment is to gather evidence and stop the planned heist of a well know organized crime gang.. whose heir just happens to be engaged to Sydney's sister. There's a lot packed into this novel, and the pace is lightening fast. Reminiscent of Stephanie Plum novels, Sydney is a badass special agent, and it's cool to have a female main character be such a strong protagonist. The love interest, while a bit rushed, added an element of sass and spice to the overall story. I think this is a perfect read for those wanting something holiday themed to read for the upcoming season but looking for something more thrilling than your traditional romantic, made into a hallmark movie, Christmas story.… (plus d'informations)

Sydney is a CIA agent working overseas when she is assigned a new task by Gail. Sydney is to investigate her sister, Calla's, fiance, who is a criminal. Sydney hasn't met Johnny, and is concerned that her sister may be involved in something without her knowledge. Sydney arrives home for the Christmas holidays to her grandmother's house, to begin working the case, when she meets Nick in his birthday suit! Nick is Johnny's bodyguard. As Sydney tries to disarm Nick and spy on the house, she finds herself falling under Nick's charms.
This is a fun romance with a bit of intrigue. The only part I didn't find believable was a Prius going 100+ mph! That made me laugh. I liked how the grandmother got involved, and the scenes between Sydney and Nick were sexy, even when they weren't doing anything!!… (plus d'informations)