Covert Cover Cracked by Missy Marciassa
When 23-year-old Elle can’t explain why her job as an Information Scientist at the Library of Congress keeps her so busy (because she’s actually a CIA operative who just became field rated), her boyfriend dumps her, so she decides to focus on her career and enjoy a fling.
Navy SEAL Reese Beckwith seems like the perfect fling material except the more he sees Elle, the more he wants to know about her, and she can’t resist him. Things get complicated when Reese spots her with her CIA partner, a known womanizer. His questions for Elle get more pointed: he sees the potential for more than a fling, and once he sets an objective, failure is not an option.
Yet Elle tries to keep Reese in the “fling” category as her first major assignment heats up, becoming more personal with each development. When her personal and professional lives collide, Elle is put to the test. Does she have what it takes to be a covert operative? Will she have to choose between love and her career?
This is the third book in the Covert series and it would have to be my favourite beating the first one. It has been a year since Elle went into basic training to become field rated and her first assignment after being field rated has put her in dangerous situations again.
Preston is back and he is partners with Elle on this mission and well as to be expected Elle isn't too happy to partnered up with him. Lyle well I was never a fan of him and well I'm glad he was out of the picture after chapter 2. Elle decided that she needed a fling to get over Lyle and put what Preston told her about a fling to use. After what should have been a one night stand with Reese, a Navy SEAL who is set to be deployed in a weeks on a 6 month assignment, she never expected to run into him again.
I really liked how her relationship with Reese progressed during the book, while she was lying a lot about what she does and how she knows what she does they still managed to get along. However, Preston making appearances when she is at "work" didn't help her case that they weren't sleeping together. The mission once again hits home with Elle with someone she knows being taken hostage to keep hacking into the NSA, CIA, FBI etc. for these terrorists.
The fast past action really showed you how much Elle has changed from the first book when she didn't even know she was working for the CIA. The final few chapters when the rescue mission took place showed us that they she can do anything and that she is no longer just an analyst for the CIA but an agent. The epilogue really set it up for the next two books and the danger that Elle is going to be facing from now on and I'm excited to read more!
Rating: 5/5
Keely xx
Covert Interview by Missy Marciassa
After growing up feeling like the unwanted leftovers of her parents’ divorce, Elle Paquet is finally an independent adult when she graduates from college to become an Information Scientist (the 21st century term for Librarian). What’s her first “adult” decision? She nixes her ten-year plan of going to grad school and marrying her college sweetheart to go work for the CIA and see how things turn out with hot agent Preston Raddick.
While Elle’s formal education may be over, life lessons are only just beginning. Preston teaches her a tough lesson about what a fling is and what it isn’t. Meanwhile, the CIA wants to know if she’s merely interested or truly committed to the agency. And are her skills up for the job? When Elle is given an assignment that tests her loyalty to her family and endangers herself and her loved ones, she learns that affiliation with the CIA means excitement can turn to danger at the drop of a hat, just as love can turn to heartbreak. Life as an adult is far harder than Elle ever imagined as she wrestles with unforeseen complications and new opportunities.
Covert Interview is about the unpredictable turns life can take.
I loved Covet Assignment and reading Covert Interview was no different. What I loved about this book we got to see a stronger side to Elle who is no longer relying on others to keep her safe which is great. Preston shows Elle what a fling exactly is & takes off on an assignment to who-knows-where doing who-knows-what.
Elle is now a CIA analyst on a 90 day probation period and isn't working out at Langley. Instead her cover is that she works for the Library of Congress helping Univeristy Libraries in D.C, Norfolk and Charlotte. The great thing for Elle is that she is dong something she loves whilst still doing data analyst things for the CIA. In Norfolk she meets a JAG lawyer Lyle in speed dating (yea I know) and sparks up at relationship with him when she is in Norfolk because her fling with Preston is over (I am not happy about this).
With only a few people knowing that she actually works for the CIA, she has to make sure that what she says stays hidden & safe. When a mission hits close to home for Elle she has to decided whether or not that this is the right job for her, making her second guess everything.
The opening scene really sets the tone of the work with analyst Elle being targeted like she was a field operative she wants what is best for her & her safety. I loved seeing Elle grow as a character and trying new things (i.e. speed dating) it was also great to see how well she bounced back from heartbreaking decisions. The ending made me really excited for the next Covert book: Covert Cover Cracked!
Thanks Netgally & Missy Marciassa!
Rating: 4 to 5/5
Keely xx
Covert Assignment by Missy Marciassa
Covert Assignment is a New Adult, Coming of Age Novel with a strong romantic element. Elle is ready for graduation and full-fledged adulthood: no more living like the leftover of her parent’s divorce. She’s about to graduate with her degree in Information Science (the 21st century term for Library Science) and has a ten-year plan as well-designed as any model for analyzing metadata: earn her JD/MBA, enjoy a couple of years as a single professional, then marry her college sweetheart, Adam, and start her own family.
Yet Elle feels like she returned to an alternate universe her final semester. There are pictures of Adam with a classmate who must be surgically enhanced, but he insists he wants Elle. CIA recruiters show up on campus, and they aren’t just interested in recruiting Elle for future employment: turns out she’s already working for them since they’re funding her thesis. Hot operative Preston Raddick is tasked to work with her. Preston isn’t just hot: he’s hot for Elle, but is he offering happy ever after or happy for right now? A fling with Preston could be the beginning of a new life plan, which is exciting and scary, especially with espionage thrown in. Elle needs a predictive model to tell her which decisions have the greater likelihood for happiness…
Covert Assignment is about the unexpected turns life can take when making “adult” decisions.
If you follow me on twitter you should know that I love Covert Affairs and from previous posts on the blog you should know that I love the Gallagher Girls series. So naturally when I saw Covert Assignment I wanted it. Bad.
Elle has done everything by herself since she has been to college, after her parents divorce and not fitting in with either families she is doing her career for herself despite what her father wants her to do. Elle's boyfriend Adam cheated on her whilst she was at home for winter break, wanting to see what happens she stays with him because two years is a lot to throw away after one mistake right? But then comes along CIA covert operative Preston, hot, older and he likes Elle.
The way that the CIA approaches Elle is such a plausible way for someone to be approached. With the CIA funding her research, she sees that sometimes everything is planned out, bumps come along and new opportunities arise: your future isn't always planned. With Elle getting metadata from the game Sub Rosa and Preston using the data they are finding terrorists who are hiding their activities in the game.
The great thing about Covert Assignment is that it is unpredictable with the aspects of the CIA, the romance isn't instant and Elle still waits to see where her relationship goes with Adam, even though he did cheat on her. Preston is a great influence on Elle, as he allows her to develop and help her understand that her future isn't set in stone, she doesn't have to follow in her father's footsteps. Elle's family was a piece of work and what they put her though I can understand why she wants to please them.
The romance between Elle and Preston is funny when you understand the computer terms (thank you HSC IPT you weren't pointless after all!) and the way that he wants to help her is admirable. There is danger, it wouldn't be a spy book without it but with the CIA and FBI all over Elle shouldn't have much to worry about, you'd think.
Covert Assignment is for those who love Covert Affairs and the Gallagher Girls series. It is a different spin on the New Adult genre and a must read for everyone!
Thanks netgalley for the review copy!
Rating: 5/5
Keely xx
