A Heart Worth Stealing + Giveaway

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:

Eeeeeeppp!!! Trixi told me that I should read more Joanna Barker and this book would be a great place to start so I did, because I’m obedient like that when I get a book referral from a kindred reading spirit. 🙂 Now I’m passing along the recommendation — if you enjoy Regency romance with an air of mystery and more than a few toe-curling kisses, then ‘A Heart Worth Stealing‘ is a book worth reading!

I totally swooned my way through this novel courtesy of Jack Travers and his unorthodox ways — including his sometimes outrageous flirtations. He keeps Ginny all in a dither and I’m afraid that often looks like she’s a short-tempered shrew which totally delights Jack to no end. Such great dynamics! And both hero and heroine have great back stories that play a part in the way they approach life, and specifically this investigation.

The mystery had a wee bit of a Gothic vibe with Ginny reluctantly playing the damsel in distress (though she’s no shrinking violet.) But her home and life are threatened and she needs Jack’s streetwise ways to help her set things to right. I will say that I picked out the villain early on but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the evolving plot.

I listened to the audible edition and enjoyed Elizabeth Knowelden’s narration and highly recommend the audio book to readers who also enjoy listening to their favourite stories.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com (US) Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible edition with audible.ca account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Heart Worth Stealing, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 2, 2023

38 thoughts on “A Heart Worth Stealing + Giveaway”

  1. Definitely read more of Joanna’s books! She’s a favorite of mine and such a sweetheart! She’s from my home state, and I had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of years ago. I loved A Game of Hearts and Otherwise Engaged, but her other books are all fantastic, too. Don’t enter me in the drawing, as I’ve already read this book! Thanks for the lovely review, Kav!

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    1. I think the only other book I’ve read by her is Beauty and the Baron so I definitely need to expand my collection! Thanks for sharing your book love and your title suggestions. Happy Reading, Winnie!

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  4. Thank you for your review and also alerting me to a new author. Sounds like a fun read. Thanks for putting my name in the hat.
    Nora finding hope yahoo

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  6. New author for me! Sounds fun. Thanks for sharing your new find. That’s what friends are for ~ keeping us from less important repetitive daily intruders like dishes or gasp, dusting? Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House
    kathleen[dot]e[dot]belongia[at] gmail[dot]com

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    1. Bwahahaha! So true! I saw a t-shirt with a woman reclining in a chair, norse buried in a book with piles of mess, mop and broom etc. all around her and the captions said: “Best get at it. This book isn’t going to read itself.” Snicker. My motto! Good luck Kathleen!

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  9. “A Heart Worth Stealing” sounds both intriguing and swoon worthy and very much one I know I am going to enjoy devouring in one sitting. The cover would draw anyone in – lovely indeed!

    Love when a book is recommended and I’m taking this one as double recommended and adding it to my TBR list.

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  12. So appreciate the review and general heads up about good new to me authors! I have recently been on a reading binge of that era and type of books. Was just looking at my library and they have three of her books, which I put on my wish list. Thanks!

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      2. Grrr, this is one of those times when I wish I read ebooks. But thanks for sharing that deal, CC. The perfect addition for the discerning reader’s Christmas TBR! Hoorah for your library have her books. Mine doesn’t. 😦 Good luck, CC! And, woohoo Trixi, for jumping onto that deal!

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  13. I am ecstatic that you LOVED this one Kav!!! One thing I thoroughly enjoy doing is recommending good books to my reader friends 🙂

    I believe I also suggested “The Truth About Miss Ashbourne”; another great read by Joanna. I’ve also read “A Game of Hearts”….so really in my opinion, you cannot go wrong with a book written by this author AT ALL! 🙂

    Talking about which, I am requesting “Secrets & Suitors” & “Otherwise Engaged” from my library….because I need more of Joanna Barker in my life…lol!!

    Sorry, not sorry, to add even more to your listening TBR (er…TBL) list….haha!!!

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    1. Gah, another library that carries Joanna Barker’s books! I’m kinda jealous. 🙂 I think she might need to be one of my ‘catch-up’ author goals from 2024! I can’t wait! And no need to apologize for adding to my TBR, really, what else are bookish friends for?! Bwahahaha!

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      1. What I meant was, I am requesting an interlibrary loan….so my library doesn’t have a copy, but they reach out to other libraries to “borrow” the book from them, that library then sends it to my library, and from there I am able to check it out.

        Hopefully that makes sense…lol! 😁😊

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  15. It sounds like I should be reading Joanna Barker’s books since I enjoy Regency romance, especially with a mystery. If there is humor, that’s even better.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  18. Wow! This book sounds sooo good! I haven’t read anything by Joanna Barker. Thanks for such a spell-binding review, Kav!

    Alison Boss
    nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

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