Review: A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Little Sowerby, England, 1802

Miss Genevieve Wilde—a magistrate’s daughter and independent heiress—is determined to meet life’s challenges all on her own, just as her late father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she will do anything to get it back, especially when the local authorities prove incompetent.

Upon reading an advertisement in the paper, she takes a chance and contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives on her doorstep. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable, and Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.

But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is just a small part of a larger, more frightening plot against her, she needs Jack’s help more than ever. To protect her home and her reputation, the two enter into a risky charade—pretending Jack is her cousin so he can begin his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to unravel the mystery, Ginny finds herself falling fast for her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.

My Review

A mystery, plenty of witty banter, and swoony romance made this an unputdownable read! The characters are vibrant, and I loved their interactions and the humor woven in. Jack's undercover role as Ginny's idiot cousin was hilarious, and their bickering over investigative choices put them at odds until they figured out how to work together. The suspense increased as they realize the danger is greater than they believed, and I was glued to the pages as I tried to figure out along with Jack and Ginny the who and why. I adore character-driven romance, and this book was a perfect balance between that and an engaging plot. They added to each other rather than distracting, delivering a perfectly satisfying reading experience!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

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