A SPY LIKE ME (YA) by Laura Pauling

Tagline:

Stripping your date down to his underwear has never been so dangerous.

One sentence:

After dodging bullets on a first date, Savvy must decide how far she’ll go to stay alive and protect the ones she loves.

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Savvy Bent expects magic on her first date with Malcolm – in Paris! Except over a picnic of sparkling cider and strawberry tarts, a sniper shoots at them. That’s only the beginning. From the top of the Eiffel Tower to the depths of the catacombs, Savvy must sneak, deceive, and spy to save her family and friends and figure out whether Malcolm is one of the bad guys before she completely falls for him. Or he tries to snuff her out.

A SPY LIKE ME (YA) by Laura Pauling-a review by Carmen P.

I was first introduced to A Spy Like Me by reading the short story, Almost Assassin, in an anthology called In Your Eyes. Malcolm, an awkward 17 year old is trying to earn his rightful spot in the family business of…espionage. Under an assignment of simple recon, Malcolm is captivated by the equally youthful, Savvy Bent, his unwitting mark. While observing her daily routine, and finding her seemingly innocent of heinous activities, Malcolm receives an order to terminate Savvy. Distressed, but knowing this could and would propel him into his father’s good graces, Malcolm follows his instincts and trusts his heart instead: He asks Savvy out on a date!

Unlike the short story, A Spy Like Me unfolds under the perspective of Savvy. She has been living, unhappily, for the last 6 months in Paris, France with her father. Mom has been out of the picture for a year now, but those circumstances are complicated and slowly revealed throughout the story.

Against the backdrop of the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower, Malcolm and Savvy are enjoying “date night”. There is an undeniable attraction and their banter is age-appropriately flirtatious. In a playful attempt at getting Malcolm to explain what he likes about her, Savvy manages to strip Malcolm of his pants and ties his hands behind his back, leaving him in a precarious position. Fully intending to relieve him of his embarrassment and capture that first real kiss, it was a spontaneous idea after all, a shot rings out! Malcolm has been shot. Trying to keep the attention of the assailant on himself, survival spy skills at its finest, Malcolm convinces Savvy to escape to the Eiffel Tower and reconvene in half an hour’s time. Not to be outdone, Savvy, utilizes her own expertise and runs away in that recommended zigzag manner that forever endears herself to me. Who does that? Malcolm never surfaces.

Fretting all night and worried that Malcolm has bled to death, Savvy is floored to see Malcolm stroll in during her work day at Spy Games…HER family’s business. These two are obviously meant for each other, right? Two peas in pod and all that fateful kismet stuff? If it was that easy, this book would have been conventional and dull. A Spy Like Me is far from it!

Savvy is relieved to find Malcolm hale and hearty, but his lack of details surrounding the debacle of “date night” unnerves her and sets the motion for twists and turns galore! While trying to figure out who could have made an attempt at Malcolm’s life, Savvy’s friend, Aimee, goes missing. Ok, she leaves a note of a sudden interest in backpacking across Eastern Europe, but Savvy, being savvy, certainly doesn’t believe that. One break-in later, spy skills again, who would go backpacking without hiking boots? A clue it is! Aimee’s disappearance forces Malcolm and Savvy to work together, but they can’t seem to find a moment’s peace to enjoy a teen romance.

This is where it gets a little troubling. While involved in all things spy, this knowledge goes unspoken between Malcolm and Savvy. Who’s really the savvier? **I couldn’t resist!** Enter Savvy’s estranged mom who makes an appearance in the middle of Spy Games and plunges Savvy into an unknown world of would-be assassins. No fair. It’s always scandalous when Mom leaves the happy home. These two need to talk. Throw in an ancient society who believes in preserving the sanctity of life versus a counter group who means to do away with corruption altogether. I found myself questioning the order or purpose of those events, but you can see to their relevance for yourself. And why do shots keep ringing out whenever Malcolm joins Savvy in her searches? Could some of those bullets be meant for Savvy instead?

There is a lot to unravel, but the journey is fun and all questions are answered. With one exception: We’re cheated out of a HEA. Malcolm isn’t given enough time to woo Savvy in the midst of varied states of unrest. How can I label Malcolm swoon-worthy if I barely got a glimpse into his romantic side? More, please! Ms. Pauling thrills you with insight for her next book and if Malcolm’s final scene is any indication, I was left very hopeful for a reunion between these two!!! Put Mom and Savvy’s reunion on the backburner for now….

LINKS:

Amazon Kindle
B&N Nook
KOBO

Reviewed by Carmen P.