Ravens. R. M. MacDonald. 2025.
Debut. Self-published. Canadian author. Dark Romance. Romantic Suspense. Spy thriller with open door spice.
An elite spy named Tripoli must pose as the “wife” of a charming British agent named York, only to discover that York’s real mission is her.
The story is told from the perspective of Tripoli, a feisty, highly trained, attractive female operative, accustomed to getting what she wants from her targets. And since the story that unfolds in these pages occurs within the context of her professional life, everything that she shares with the reader is spy-related.
On top of that is her situation, which almost immediately puts her in the position of posing as the wife of a rival British operative. This layers a Mr. & Mrs. Smith vibe on top of a story that is already vibing hard as a spy story.
This was one of my most enjoyable reads of 2025. It thought it was smart, sexy, and action-packed. In my first review, I described it as “fun from cover to cover”. The chapters were short and punchy—allowing me to read long or short, depending on the time I had available. The minimalist style adopted by the author kept driving the story forward from one scene to the next. The pacing was perfect and the protagonist was relatable and memorable.
AUTHORS – I write short book reviews that focus on voice and vibe. They are useful to querying authors searching for comp titles. There are more like this on my website.
REMINDER – If you follow my reviews, you already know this. I have a policy about reviewing debut novels. Provided I finish them, I always rate debut novels with maximum stars, regardless. When I don’t finish a debut novel, I don’t review it. No exceptions. And I don’t review books I don’t pay full price for.