ONLY THE WICKED

An ex-CIA operative targets a tech billionaire in Jolie’s romantic thriller.

Sydney Parker is forced out of the CIA after a list of her assets is leaked, leading to many of their deaths and endangering her. Determined to track down the source of the leak, she joins an independent entity that “specialize[s] in investigating those deemed too connected, too powerful to be investigated” and goes undercover to look into ARGUS, “the best AI surveillance product on the market.” Her mission is to get close to its creator, tech billionaire Rhodes Macmillan, and, if possible, access his devices. To this end, she poses as a tourist and stages a meetup with Rhodes on a hiking trail while he’s on vacation. The plan goes off without a hitch, but what Sydney doesn’t expect is the immediate and undeniable sparks between them. While she at first tries to maintain a boundary, she gives in to the “undeniable chemistry,” and the sexual side of their relationship develops quickly. Midway through the story, circumstances change drastically—the strain this creates, in addition to the high stakes of the potential misuse of ARGUS, adds strong dramatic tension to the narrative, keeping readers who came for the romance engaged in the political drama that unfolds. The novel is well-paced, at first focusing on Rhodes and Sydney’s developing relationship (with plenty of spice) while weaving in the intelligence thread before shifting to concentrate on intrigue once readers are invested. This is the first installment in a series by the author themed around the Seven Deadly Sins—the sin in this book is pride, or, as Rhodes prefers to think of it, hubris. While the theme fits the narrative, particularly regarding Rhodes’ internal struggle regarding his arrogance (thinking he could truly control ARGUS), the explicit musings on the topic sometimes feel shoehorned in with graceless directness. The cast of side characters is well developed and contributes to the robust narrative, keeping the main romance from becoming too insular.

A smart, spicy romance with a high-stakes plot and great chemistry.