Review: If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel
If I Told You, I’d Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Stars | Sapphic Spy Romance | Second Chance | Dual POV
I loved this book. I loved the world, the chaos, the characters, the action, and—most of all—the pining. This is everything I want in a romance and more. It’s like Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets True Lies, but sapphic, emotional, and way more fun. I want to scream about how good it is and make everyone read it immediately.
This isn’t just a romance with a spy subplot—it’s a fully developed, emotionally rich love story woven into a legit action-packed espionage thriller. The balance is seamless. If the romance wasn’t there, the spy story would still hold up. If the spy mission disappeared, the emotional journey would still stand on its own. That’s rare.
We follow KC and Yardley—CIA agents, ex-girlfriends, and still deeply in love. When they’re thrown together on a mission, it’s all unresolved tension, loaded glances, and high-stakes chaos. They’re messy in the most realistic, relatable way—hurting each other because they don’t know how to be vulnerable, but still clinging to the love that’s clearly still there.
What stood out most for me:
- The Pining. It’s delicious. Yearning in every scene.
- The Romance. Complicated, mature, emotionally honest. No easy fixes here—just two people trying to figure it out while saving the world.
- The Spy Plot. Action-packed without being over-the-top. Believable, grounded, and seriously fun.
- The Emotional Depth. Yardley’s family legacy, KC’s inner conflict, their shared heartbreak—it all felt earned.
- The Audiobook. Narrated by Mia Hutchison-Shaw, this performance was amazing. She captured both the emotional undercurrents and action-packed moments with so much nuance and heart—it elevated the entire experience.
Bonus points for:
💥 Excellent tension and banter
💥 Spice level around 2.5 with some emotional heat to match
💥 Strong supporting cast and great interwoven relationships beyond the romance
💥 Grandparents with spy wisdom (yes, really—and it works so well)
Final verdict:
This is a brilliant, high-stakes second chance sapphic romance that hits all the right emotional and plot beats. If you love romance and action—and want both done well—you need this book on your shelf. Mae Marvel has officially made it onto my auto-buy list.
