Ratings:
Star Rating: ★★★★★
If This Book Was a Movie Rating: PG
Review:
Thank you Butterscotch Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
*squeals piercingly in order to properly convey the love she feels for this book*
PEOPLE let me introduce you to the ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE enemies-to-lovers and marriage-of-convenience book that saved me from a slow death at the hand of a reading slump!
MEET DISGUISED, EVERYONE.
my precious.
First of all, let’s take a moment to admire this cover.
*takes a moment*
Thank you for your time. Second of all, le plotline!
Pixie’s on the run for her life when she runs into her old friend Elena Holt. Elena quickly introduces her to the rest of the Holt family, who’s loud and boisterous and immediately showers the loner Pixie with love and affection. The stern, reclusive eldest son, Maxwell Holt, learns of Pixie’s unusual skills and hires her to be a part of his vast spy network. Pixie may be a small girl and rather easy to miss, but she more than makes up for it in disguise capabilities, cunning, and pure speed.
That speed came from necessity. She’s been running from the most ruthless clan leader for three years, moving from one place to another every few months. She doesn’t do the whole “relationship” thing, because she’s gotta be able to drop everyone and run again at the first sign of danger.
That is, until she meets the Holt family, and she doesn’t seem to be able to run away anymore.
It definitely doesn’t have anything to do with her growing feelings for Maxwell.
Not at all.
The plotline felt one of those airy clouds of cotton candy that has veins of chocolate caramel twisted all through the adorable fluffiness of it.
GORGEOUS.
I should probably stop capitalizing my emotions.
BUT
I
CAN’T.
anyways in case my metaphor was rather unintelligent, the plot was basically adorable fluffy romance and spy intrigue while the plot twists and pain were the chocolate caramel that provided more emotional depth to the overall story.
Really just not the best metaphor now that I’m thinking about it.
THE POINT IS, I loved how this book tied together a sweet story, spy drama, and romance yet still managed to include some of the post-abuse emotional pain and trauma that many YA novels gloss over. It really made the characters come alive for me, and I could relate to them much more than if they were perfect goody-two-shoes that were 100% virtuous all the time. The plot benefited much more from properly flawed characters.
IN ADDITION, WE MUSTN'T FORGET THOSE PLOT TWISTS peopleeee they just kept comiiiinggg and they were amaaazinggg.
I can’t say much more because spoilers hehe, but just know the plot was *chef’s kiss* good :)
Third of all, the characters gave me hope for humanity. Pixie is small and smart and amazing and I loved her. Maxwell was stern and emotionally closed off yet gentle and sweet and I loved him too.
And then as for their romance tho. The level of yearning by both characters was through the proverbial roof and I LOVED EVERY ANGSTY SECOND OF IT (there were a lot of seconds, don’t worry). We even get a one-bed-trope with our marriage-of-convenience couple? UM YES PLEASE.
The Holt family was hilarious and loving and warm and supportive and basically signed themselves up to be a part of my found family bookshelf.
Reading back over this review, I am realizing I rambled quite a bit and probably used probably more caps then might be appropriate BUT IDC BC THE NUMBER OF TIMES I SQUEALED Y’ALL.
go buy it.
Friend me on Goodreads (yes, you, I wanna be your friend): https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/136268749-isabelle
Recommendations If You Liked This Book:
The previous books in this series (duh) by Roxanne McNeil
Sister to Beauty by Roxanne McNeil
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