The Spy's Love Song

Hmm. I did like the romance very much, but the premise was so bizarre. It felt like concepts drawn from a hat, which can be a lot of fun, but it never really came together for me. I had trouble suspending disbelief.

I was shocked, too, that this was published in 2018. It seems really out of touch for a book's climax to be all about bringing a dictator's crimes to light, and then he suffers, and everything changes for the better in his country. Dictators know how to keep enough people happy and rich so that no one with any power over them cares about their sins. I think we all knew this by 2018.

I also don't like the anti-communist stance of the book, although I understand the problem was corruption and not the specific system of government. Still, dreaming of being rich is part of the locals' idea of freedom, but keeping people dreaming of personal wealth is just another method of control.

I do like Kim Fielding, and she always writes appealing, flawed characters. I don't think I will reread this one, but my problems with it are probably just my own issues. I would've loved this when I was a teen (in the early 90s), so if you feel nostalgic for an old-school spy thriller plot, and would like to read a queer version, you may enjoy this book more than I did.