As the publisher's description states, Blonde Ops is "a fun, action-packed romp through the hallways of a fashion magazine and the cobblestone streets of Rome." It's a light-hearted YA read with enough spying, hacking, fashion, and traveling to please almost everyone.

That being said, it didn't feel as authentic as some of the other books in the young adult spy genre. I know, I know, teen spy novels aren't exactly realistic anyway, but the background, situations, and characters in some feel more realistic than others.

I was frustrated with Bec because she often didn't seem to be displaying much common sense. But the adults in the book were aggravating, too -- leaving a delinquent teenager with someone they barely knew anymore, letting a known hacker still have access to computers and other electronics, sharing some sensitive information with Bec but not trusting her with other seemingly less sensitive information, having so much security personnel around because of the First Lady but then not actually paying much attention to the comings and goings of anyone, not thinking it was strange that a celebrity model / magazine editor was bossing around Secret Service agents... Seriously, Bec is the only person who thinks it's strange that Candace has control over and bosses around the Secret Service agents.

Blonde Ops has a fun concept, and YA readers will enjoy it for what it is -- a fashion-tinged spy romp through Rome -- but it could have been polished a bit more to make it more plausible, less frustrating, and an overall better read.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

Blonde Ops is the story of Bec Jackson, a teenager who has been kicked out of several schools due to her hacking. Bec's parents don't have time for her, so she is constantly shuffled from relative to relative, until this time. Bec is sent to Rome to work for her mother's best friend, Parker who is the editor of a fashion magazine doing a shoot there. Bec barely gets a chance to meet Parker when she is in a car accident and hospitalized somewhere in Rome. Bec knows Parker was seriously injured, but can't find out any specifics about her condition or even what hospital she is in. When Bec starts to investigate the wreck, she finds out that there is more going on than just a car crash. With the imminent arrival of the First Lady of the United States for the photo shoot, Bec starts to wonder about all of the people she is working with and what their endgames really are, especially the mysterious Taj and attractive Dante who have both shown interest in her.
Blonde Ops is well written and interesting, but I had trouble reconciling the fact that when the woman who is tasked with taking care of Bec is injured, she isn't sent back to her parents rather than being allowed to remain in a European city with people that her parents don't know. Also some of the descriptions of Rome are a little long-winded. Otherwise this was a good mystery/adventure story with a good plot and unique characters. ( )

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 by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman.