Confessions of a Little Black Gown Book

Geoff Larkin is tasked with locating the escaped pirate Daswhwell and killing him dead. Thalia "Tally" Langley helped the dread pirate escape and now must keep him hidden from those who'd like to kill him dead. When their paths cross, SPARKS FLY because something something BONERS. Will these two spies be able to out-spy each other before someone gets their spy broken?

1. WHY WAS ANYONE EVEN TRYING TO SAVE DASH HE SEEMED LIKE AN ASSHOLE?

2. So as much as I loved the fact that Tally was On her Game and saw through most of Larkin's nonsense, that was still some of the most inept spygames bs I've seen in a romance novel in a while. Larkin loses his wits almost immediately when Tally flashes him French-siren eyes and nearly confesses his dark, dark history to her--even though he's used to seduction as a tool. Tally has solid suspicions of Larkin / Mr. Ryder but dismisses them again and again--even though she has a history of diplomacy / spy-games / growing up with shady people. It's like they both took the INTRO TO SPY class and crammed the night before the final instead of it being steeped into their every action and reaction, as it would if they had actual spy-experience.

3. CAN I SAY SPY AGAIN. SPYING SPYFULLY SPIES.

4. The romance was hilariously rushed. Day 1: suspicion; makeouts in the garden; arousal. Day 2: heartfelt conversation; confirmation he's an evil spy; confirmation she's helped a traitor escape; hero-drugging; SEX. Day 3: confessions of love; the climax of the book. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU: IT WAS FAST AND LAZY.

5. I WANT TO KNOW THE STORY OF THE REAL MR. RYDER AND MISS DEFISSER???

6. Overall, I was whelmed. It was decently written, decently entertaining, and not all together disagreeable. I would seek out more by this author, although perhaps not the next in the series (as it's Pippin/Dash and idk about Dash). It just wasn't GREAT.