REVIEW: The Takedown by Carlie Walker

In The Takedown by Carlie Walker, With the holidays looming near, CIA agent Sydney Swift has had thoughts of visiting her Grandma Ruby and sister Calla back in Maine for months. But her complicated feelings on family and home have kept her jumping from one assignment to another, and one country to another for far too long. Sydney had no idea it would be a request from the FBI that would send her back to Cape Hathaway. Or that the case would be one involving Calla who, unbeknownst to Sydney, has somehow become engaged to Johnny Jones–the son of an infamous crime family in Boston.

“I want to get Calla a wedding present,” Johnny’s hands cup the air, as if to demonstrate the largeness of the gift… “I was thinking, we could put our heads together this week… Go shopping.”
Christmas Shopping with a Crime Lord sounds like a Hallmark movie that I’d skip.

Things get complicated for Sydney really fast once she’s seaside again. She’s never had trouble compartmentalizing her emotions while on a case. Then again, she’s never had to gain intel on her family before, either. While Sydney is getting a feel for who Johnny and his crew really are–hoping the FBI is wrong about his intentions–things move into hyper speed, with Calla and Johnny moving the wedding up to Christmas Day. And in the mix is Nick Fraser, the head of the Jones family’s security. Handsome, charming, and what Sydney considers supremely untrustworthy, Nick still works his way under her defenses. And with a potential heist on the horizon to shut down and a wedding to stop, she has her hands way too full to fall for someone who could shatter her heart without trying.

‘There’s an undeniable hunger in his gaze that crosses the boundaries of our cat-and-mouse game. Or maybe we’re playing a new game now.’

The Takedown was a fast, thoroughly enjoyable read that I didn’t want to end. Everything from the bits of action and mystery to the family drama, romance, and laugh out loud humor elevated Carlie Walker’s adult novel debut to keeper shelf material.

‘Can I trust my judgement when it comes to the people I love most?’

CW: View Spoiler »Child abandonment « Hide Spoiler

My mind still feels like it’s moving a hundred miles a minute after finishing The Takedown. Part rom com, part spy thriller, Carlie Walker also threw in some Christmas cheer, a fun small-town vibe, and a seriously sexy bodyguard for added measure. And wow, what a combination. Added to that was our heroine Sydney, a proficient CIA agent whose humble roots stemmed from Maine, where her beloved sister, Calla, and their grandmother, Ruby, were already celebrating the holidays together.

There’s nothing more quintessential than New England during the winter. And in this story, it added layers of coziness as well as weather-related issues that made Sydney’s job more difficult. Because the crux of the case she was pulled into working on with the FBI was regarding her sister becoming engaged to the son of a notorious crime family. Something Sydney hadn’t been clued into by her sister before the FBI sprang it on her. So, without giving any spoilers, there were some hurt feelings involved as well as her avoidance of certain difficult memories from returning home to Cape Hathaway. Which was understandable once we got Sydney and Calla’s backstory.

The characters Walker created were top notch. While I got a kick out of Calla’s fiancé Johnny and his band of hooligans, it was Nick that I swooned over. There were some tricky moments when I wasn’t sure if he could be trusted–you’ll have to read the book to find out the specifics–but I had faith in Nick to be the kind-hearted, protective guy he seemed to be. It was comical watching him fit right in with Sydney’s family. Even the family dog, Sweetie Pie, was under his spell. (lol) But my favorite cast combination was anytime Sydney, Calla, and Grandma Ruby were together. Let’s just say the Swift women were totally badass and leave it at that.

QOTD: The Swift family had some fun holiday traditions in their home and in their town. Do you have any you enjoy each year?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: October 3rd, 2023 | Berkley |

An undercover CIA agent is sent home to investigate her sister’s criminal fiancé but the last thing she expects is to fall in love with his bodyguard along the way in this sexy romantic comedy.

It’s been a long time since Sydney Swift has gone home. An unrelentingly successful CIA field officer, she has spent the last three years pretending to be someone — anyone — other than herself.

But this year, the festive season is coming with some added surprises. Sydney’s beloved little sister has just announced that she’s engaged to Johnny Jones, the heir of an organized crime dynasty. With her built-in cover and her best-in-class reputation, Sydney is approached by the FBI as their way to infiltrate the Jones family at last.

Sydney has until Christmas to gather enough evidence on Johnny to take him down before he pulls off his most dangerous heist yet, all without losing her sister forever. But she hasn’t counted on the challenge of pulling this off right under her family’s nose or the complications of a romantic entanglement with Johnny’s handsome friend and bodyguard, Nick. Sydney always gets her man — but this time love is a target she can’t afford to miss.