Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

Pitched as The Devil Wears Prada meets James Bond for teens, featuring a fashion magazine intern in Rome who uncovers a plot to kidnap the First Lady.

Expelled from yet another boarding school for hacking, sixteen-year-old Rebecca "Bec" Jackson is shipped off to Rome to intern for Parker Phillips, the editor-in-chief of one of the world’s top fashion magazines. But when a mysterious accident lands Parker in a coma, former supermodel and notorious drama queen Candace Worthington takes the reins of the magazine. The First Lady is in Rome for a cover shoot, and all hands are on deck to make sure her visit goes smoothly. 

Bec quickly realizes that Parker's "accident" may not have been quite so accidental, and when the First Lady's life is threatened, Bec is determined to uncover the truth. On top of that, Bec must contend with bitchy models, her new boss, Candace, who is just as difficult as the tabloids say, and two guys, a hunky Italian bike messenger with a thousand-watt smile and a fashion blogger with a razor-sharp wit, who are both vying for her heart.

Can Bec catch the person who's after the First Lady, solve the mystery of Parker's accident, and juggle two cute boys at the same time? Blonde Ops is a fun, action-packed romp through the hallways of a fashion magazine and the cobblestone streets of Rome.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pink highlighting are spoilers, just highlight over them to see them                    

                        Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Has anyone noticed an abundance of books espionage-y or spy-like books on the shelves lately? Books where the witty and sarcastic main character somehow gets involve in some type of trouble involving intrigue and  good looking people? Is that just me? Well, even if it is just me, being the espionage-loving girl I am I'm probably going to read all the spy-related books I can find (With the exception of Etiquette and Espionage because steampunk and I don't mix well). Back to the book on hand. Blond-ops.

Can I just say the title alone makes me want to read it. I mean, Blonde-Ops? Does that not sound fun. You know what they say...Everything's more fun as a blond. Besides that, when you flip to the first chapter the first thing you see at the top of the page is "Tips and Tricks for the Edge-y Girl." On the first page of every chapter there are actual fashion and life tips. I don't know, that just draws me into a book. So there you have it. All I needed was the first page and the cover and I knew I had to read this book. The Barnes and Nobles clerk couldn't check me out fast enough. I fully recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, fun, and surprising read.

Rome, romance. Romance, Rome. Mi scusi, is there anything that fits together better? When in Rome, right? Let me just say, Bec truly knows the meaning of the phrase. She had not one, but two hot guys chasing after her and through it all not once did I get a cheaty vibe.  There was Dante, the golden boy who had modeling agents chasing after his messenger vespa (but no, actually. They did). And there was Taj, tall dark and all kinds of mysterious. Oh my heart! Even now I cannot choose. And even though Taj is a bad guy...he stole my heart-pun intended. Two. Hot. Foreign, accent having guys. Good Lord. Sigh and swoon. 

Okay, focus. there was something other than the boys... The plot. Right. The plot. Well. Fast-paced in an exciting way, Blonde-Ops is a true page turner. How's that for a one liner? I actually read itin a day, not even stopping to walk. Seriously. I tripped a few times. Not only was it exciting, it was unpredictable and it kept me guessing. Not an easy thing to do. Every time my short attention span strayed--Bam! Another clue, another crash, another kiss. *eyebrow wiggle* You can't go wrong with boys, an international mystery, and killer fashion. Speaking of fashion, that peak into the industry was fabulous- yes I used the F-word.

Now, I urge you to hop on your vespa or less cool means of transportation and go get Blond-Ops. A hacker in Rome with two hot guys and a mystery involving the first lady? What are you waiting for? Not only is it worth the buy, it's worth reading again and again. Ciao!