I was surprised to find out this was not only the first book I have read of Ashley Elston’s, but it is her debut into adult fiction. First for both of us it seems. My wife is in a bookclub at the Elementary school she works at and several of the staff pick their favorite book of the year and then each month it gets passed to the next person. Notes are left through out the book as to what each person thinks so instead of meetings there is a nice wrap up from everyone when the book gets back to the owner. Needless to say my wife and I buy a new copy of her pick so we do not ruin her original. We are a sucker for limited editions and would not pass those around. 🤣
Half way through my wife reading this she turned to me and said “You are going to like this book”. We absolutely are the Gamer Boy/Book Girl couple. I’m a big reader as well but most of the time when she is reading I’m on the PlayStation. My wife explained that the book is about a woman who changes her identity per job she takes on. The name she mainly goes by in the book is Evie Porter and her job is to cozy up to Ryan Summer. At a party with Ryan, they bump into an old friend of Ryan’s and his girlfriend Lucca Marino. Lucca Marino happens to be Evie’s real name and the background Lucca gives is an almost identical match to Evie’s
That was enough to get this added to my TBR list right away, and it was the next book I picked up. I desperately needed to know what Evie does. Is she a spy, criminal, or mercenary for hire? Then I needed to know who is this woman pretending to be her real identity? Was it coincidence, Identity theft, or was she planted to spook Evie into action.
The only thing I’m going to say is, this book didn’t disappoint. If you want to know the answers to these and many more questions you are going to have, then either pick this up, or wait for the Show on Hulu. This has been picked up by Octavia Spencer, and Krista Vernoff to be developed into a series for Hulu. I’m looking forward to this show and with the way the book is, this could easily go multiple seasons without needing more than one book. That being said, it is quite possible the show is different than the book and I always suggest reading the book before watching.
The Kindle edition I had for this book was the Reese Witherspoon Book Club edition and it had a snippet from Anatomy of an Alibi which is coming out in late 2026. I’m so ready for another adult fiction title from Elston.
I highly recommend this book and it should be no surprise that I give this 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃. I have been very fortunate with the books IU have picked this year being such good books. Pull up a stool and tell me what you’re reading while I pour you a drink.
Brunner's Bar 