5 amazing stars

Bridge and Izzy, wow oh wow, this was an amazing read. Had me hooked from the first page till the end and kept me on my toes. It had me thinking one thing was going to happen then it took a turn and it was something else. Everything I thought I knew what was going to happen there was curve ball. I loved the chemistry between the couple and everything about this book. I’m not that it ended and I really, really need book 2 like yesterday.
As always Rachel your stories are perfect. Another must read!

4 out of 5 Stars

ARC courtesy of Netgalley

Stealing Her is book 1 in the Covet Series. I enjoyed Stealing Her and can't wait to continue with the series. I love Isobel and Bridge.

Stealing Her was a passionate story about love, betrayal, hope and sacrifice. Like all of Rachel Van Dyken's books, I was swept away from that first page. The prologue was in the past and set the stage perfectly. We saw the family dynamics that shocked me and instantly made me feel sympathy and compassion towards Bridge. From there we got taken on a ride that was emotional, morally grey, and completely twisted.

I’d traded heaven for hell.
For them.
And I would do it every damn time. - Bridge


I liked Bridge right away. He was strong, tenacious and loved deeply. My heart broke for him as I learned about his mom's medical condition and watched all of the sacrifices he made for her. She was his life. His heart. Bridge was such a generous man that was good to the core. But with medical bills and caring for his mom becoming overwhelming at times, Bridge made a deal with the devil. His estranged father. If he played the part of his twin brother, who he hadn't seen since he was a child, his mom would be taken care of. So he accepted the deal, while his brother was in a coma.

I made a vow to her, even though she didn’t know it. I would give her the best few weeks of her life, days that would be filled with smiles, not control.
And then do the cruelest thing a man could do.
Turn her back over to the real Julian the minute he woke up.


We alternated between Bridge and Isobel, who was his twin brother's fiance. I liked Isobel but it pained me to see how she was being mentally abused by Julian Tennyson, Bridge's twin. He cheated, lied and treated her like something he could easily discard. By the time she was finally finding her voice and standing up for herself, Julian was in a horrific accident.

I was being incredibly creepy.
She wasn’t mine to stare at or to want.
And yet a tiny voice in my head said she was.
That she was more mine than she was his.
Because at least when I looked at her, I saw her.


When Bridge and Isobel met, I didn't know what to expect. He was pretending to be Julian, so I thought she should know right away. Right? But her and Julian had fallen apart in the previous months, they were strangers to each other. So the fact that Isobel noticed differences with "Julian" just made her realize how distant they had actually grown. It played out beautifully, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Because the truth always seems to come out.

“I swear to you that the man standing here, in front of you, will never cheat on you. Ever.”
I looked up into his eyes, for the first time noticing that his lashes looked slightly longer. My body screamed it was right, my mind told me that I was hallucinating, because people’s eyelashes didn’t just change, did they?


I loved watching Bridge fumble his way into acting like Julian. Especially when it came to Isobel. But I was always nervous because when they were together, they felt right yet also forbidden. There was an instant connection and spark between them and I knew that if they were truly together, they would be magnificent. But Isobel was with Julian. And if he woke up from his coma, the facade would end. At times it felt like I was rooting for the wrong brother, hoping that Bridge would win Isobel over. But when is love ever rational?

She turned around and made her way into the living room, she didn’t see the face I made after she called me by his name.
Or the helpless feeling in my soul when I realized that I was making headway for a man who hated me, and I was falling for a woman who was and would always be his.


The story flew by quickly and I loved how I didn't even see some events coming. One of them was dark and I just stared at the page in disbelief. Another made me gasp. And while there wasn't a ton of side characters, two were the perfect villains. The twin's dad was wicked, smart, ruthless and had no heart. He was a deadly combination. And his new wife Marla was someone who I wanted to disappear. Forever. Thankfully the twin’s mom was a bright light of kindness, love and patience. I loved her.

I’d always thought I was a good person— solid, loyal, dependable.
And now?
I felt like an unapologetic thief.
I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.


When you want a forbidden love story that has depth and emotions leaping from the pages, definitely pick up Stealing Her! This book was extremely emotional and deep. It wasn't like Rachel Van Dyken's other books where I found myself constantly laughing and smiling. There was a heaviness to this story that was not lightened by laughter. It worked out perfectly for me, since I had just finished a cute and fluffy book. So yes of course I recommend this book!
PS Here's a quote I loved so, so, so much!

My jaw dropped. “Are you telling me you read romance novels?”
“No.” He pointed his finger at me and laughed. “I’m telling you I skip to the good parts, do the necessary strategizing in my head, you know, like wondering if you could actually do that sort of thing at that angle, and then I store it in my head for future use. That’s not reading, sweetheart, that’s fucking research.”

What a wild ride! Wow. Can’t wait for book 2 already! I need more!

Bridge and Isobel’s relationship is so far from ordinal and they met under the weirdest of circumstances...she thinks he’s her fiancé. But she don’t know how far from the truth that really is!

A secret brother, family drama, over bearing rich dad, sweet unsuspecting fiancé... sounds like a great story to me. And RVD did a fabulous job, I was so immersed in their story that I flew through the pages. Devouring all the wicked p, sorted details of a father who manipulated one son to impersonate the other, including marrying his girl.


Want a great story with family drama, secrets and a hero that you'll just fall in love with? Pick up this today and you won’t be disappointed!

I loved this book. I don’t need to read the blurb when it comes to Rachel Van Dyken anymore. I love her books.
It’s heartbreaking that Julian and Bridge are torn apart as kids because their father is a heartless monster. He’s not satisfied with the one he gets and never tells him what he longs to hear. Bridge is sucked back into his father’s clutches because he wants to help his sick mother and his brother.
I hate that the brothers were separated and that so much goes wrong.
I understand where Isobel is coming from. She’s taken in by the Tennyson family and she has nothing without them. She has been molded to be a certain way by them. In a way she’s like the twins mother, she has to be perfect to the outside world.
I love the Bridge and Isobel meet and what he does for her.
I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Ms. Van Dyken.

OK, I'll anything and everything that RVD writes. I picked up this book to read before reading the synopsis and I kind of wished I did... Stealing Her made me absolutely nervous, there were a lot of things happening that I absolutely couldn't agree with it. BUT, I wanted the happy ever afters to happen.

RVD wrote up a rather unique story and I was completely engaged the entire time ... even if I didn't necessarily agree with what was happening. When it comes to Julian and Bridge, they've been estranged since they were teens. There was a huge lot of time where we don't know Bridge's side of the story. They were both raised differently and you can definitely see it in their adult life.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this one, but I didn't connect with Bridge and Isobel. Shoot, I wasn't even a huge fan of Julian because of the way he constantly treated Isobel, but I truly think that he was just under his father's thumb for so long. He couldn't escape from it. He definitely gets his wake up call and it's not pretty.

By the end, I'm glad a HEA happens and I have never needed the second book more!

Not my first read by author, I have read almost every single book of her’s so I am familiar with the style. Although this new series one, blew me away. I wasn’t too sure how I would feel about another man’s woman so to say, but this worked.

This story comes with some grant twist and turns. One family with a huge secret, betrayals, lies…but the romance in this sneaks up on you. The swoon factor is pretty high still, even though some scenes got me a little worried but it all came together so well…I couldn’t put it down.

Now the story revolves around the hero Bridge and heroine Isabel…Julian is the twin brother, the bad guy if you will. In which later you do find out that, maybe he wasn’t as bad as it seemed. I really hope the author has a story of his own in the near future. There is a whole big scandal happening and the twin’s parents are high and mighty elite in the rich and famous, therefore no mistaken can be done. This is where Julian’s twin brother comes in, as the stand-in if you will. But his secret is that he is truly in love with Isabel. What happens next is a new level of deception, danger and love. The author did a fantastic job on the start of this new series, and I am looking for more DRAMA FILLED books! *Side note: I kind of, I don’t know if I fully connected with Isabela, took me hot minute. ALSO, the father: NO GO, at anything. Horrible man, sadly this is probably how things really do work in the rich world!

Rating: 4.5★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #1 of Series
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

This book was heartbreaking, beautiful, and breath-taking. Honestly, I am speechless as I close the last page. From a gripping story-line, to endless plot twists, to a ending that had me cheering and then an epilogue that ripped my heart out...lets just say this book was an emotion rollercoaster.

So I shall start with the characters, Izzy was a delight. I could feel for her internal struggle, her lack of trustworthy people, her constant insecurities. She was very conflicted and just desperate for clarity. I adored Bridge, from his tender heart to his bad boy looks, he had me swooning. Working endlessly to take care of his mom, he truly has a heart of gold, even if life wasn't easy on him. Julian, well he is a mystery I really want to solve. He is rough edges, brash decisions, and volatile anger. I just wanted to hug all these characters and tell them that everything will be alright.

The plot, a unique and refreshing narrative in romance. Something I have never read before but both devoured and savored. Rachel artfully balances the fall out and play out but gives hope that things will be okay. In the last chapter, I found myself grinning from ear to ear and then the epilogue was a knife in my heart. In typical fashion, I am way too emotionally attached to fictional characters.

The romance was sizzling. Plenty of tension, teasing and such a slow burn that I wanted to cheer when they finally came together. Stealing Her stole my heart, and I can't wait for the next book to come out...is if February yet?

Stealing Her is the first book in the Covet series by the fabulous and talented Rachel Van Dyken. It's hard to express the joy I feel when one of my favorite authors starts a new series. New characters to love. New storylines. New worlds to get lost in. Stealing Her is a unique story about twin brothers who were once best friends and now years later, Bridge needs to pretend to be Julian. It's like the best soap opera ever. But this one has a beautiful and charming fiance of Julian's that Bridge now needs to live with and pretend to be his brother. He didn't expect to like her. She didn't expect him to be so different. Could this be the man she fell in love with? How could Bridge possible be falling for his brother's girl? I don’t want to say too much and ruin the fun! I will say that I LOVED this story! It was interesting, fast paced and full of fun, sexiness, sadness, hope and love. I loved everything about it. Bridge and his sexiness, smarts and loyalty. Izzy and her courage, openness and spark. I can't wait for the next one!

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️++

“She was magnificent. She was also his. I’d touched what was his. I’d pleasured what wasn’t mine. “

Possible Spoilers ahead…

I’ve been drawn to Rachel Van Dyken over the past year. I find when I read her books they have a strong readability meaning I tear through them, gobbling the pages of her stories whole. There is something about her ability to put words on the page and moments together that engage her readers. Stealing Her, her newest book, is no different.

Have you ever seen While You Were Sleeping, the famous ‘90s rom-com? To a certain extent, Stealing Her reminds me of that movie. This story is a triangle of sorts. Bridge and Julian are twins. Their father is a tyrant of a father. He’s successful, morally relativistic, and self-absorbed. Their mother, tired of his cheating, divorces him. As part of their prenuptial agreement, they split the twins with Bridge being sent with his mother into poverty and Julian staying with their father in continued luxury. Bridge has always felt led to protect Julian. He is headstrong and willful, while Julian is a people-pleaser, especially seeking the approval of their father. Without Bridge’s protection, Julian must grow up under a man who is domineering and a horrible role model. The story fast-forwards many years into the future. Julian is soon to become the CEO of his family’s empire. He’s engaged but emotionally distant from his fiancee. He’s become a copy of his father. In contrast, Bridge struggles to care for his ailing mother by working three jobs. One day, Julian is involved in a horrific accident and lies in a coma. Their father comes to Bridge, blackmailing him into pretending to act as Julian. Their father agrees to pay for the much-needed care for his sickly mother if Bridge agrees to pose as Julian. However, the only people who will know are the board of directors for the company. If Julian survives and recovers, Bridge will step aside, and Julian will return to his position. Complicating this is Julian’s fiancee, Isobel, who is readying to leave Julian over his emotional abuse and detachment. When Bridge enters her life, unknowing that he isn’t Julian, Bridge begins to heal Isobel’s heart, and they begin to fall in love. Unfortunately, Isobel doesn’t know of the scheme, and Bridge worries that she loves him as Julian, not as himself. Will Julian wake up and claim his position, and will Bridge and Isobel end up together?

From its beginning, Stealing Her grabbed me. There are quite a few reasons why I couldn’t put this book down…

*For one, this isn’t just about Bridge and Isobel “Izzy.” While that is one of the main relationships, this book is about the different dynamics of relationships. It’s equal parts about fathers and sons or mothers and sons; it’s about the dynamic of brothers, and it’s about a love triangle between Bridge, Julian, and Isobel. In considering all of these relationships, you can’t help but be intrigued. There is so much love and hate in this story that, when you get to Isobel and Bridge, you bask in their growing love. While it is complicated by the betrayal of Julian, it reads as the easiest relationship in the book. It is hard to imagine, but you root for Bridge and Izzy. This can only happen because Van Dyken’s genius in this book is her ability to normalize their relationship. At some point, we know there will be recompense for their choices. When it materializes in the story, you find yourself choosing Izzy and Bridge together, and you don’t feel guilty for wanting it.

*One of the ways that Van Dyken allays your guilt is her craftsmanship of moments in the story. I found myself highlighting different moments between Bridge and Izzy because they lit my soul up. There is a general ease between these two that Van Dyken doesn’t create for Julian and Isobel. Those created moments are necessary for accepting the fated relationship between Bridge and Izzy. This is Van Dyken’s superpower in this story.

*Even more, it would be easy to dislike Julian given his treatment of Izzy, but, once again, Van Dyken doesn’t allow that. This is key because Stealing Her is a standalone in a series entitled Covet. Julian’s book is next. It is imperative that he remains likable. As such, Bridge and Julian are actually more alike than different in my opinion. They both are tenacious and honorable, even when they act dishonorably. Therefore, when all is exposed in this book, you have big hopes for the brothers. In fact, I cannot wait for the next book because I am hoping for more reconciliation.

Rachel Van Dyken’s Stealing Her is a story that will pull at your heart. The strife of this story will rearrange your heart and challenge your thinking. It would be easy to feel guilty about advocating for Bridge and Izzy as a couple, but I think Van Dyken is suggesting that we need to follow our hearts. That our heart will ultimately lead us on the path to finding our true love. Stealing Her is a beautiful, carefully wrought tale of finding healing through giving our heart to that one person who will carefully tend to it.

3.5☆ I have mixed feelings about Stealing Her. I wasn't completely nuts about the premise of the book with the whole twin and identity switch. I enjoyed the characters, well most of them, they mean well they just don't make the greatest decisions. I like how Bridge brings Izzy back to old times and makes her happy. Izzy is a bright spot for Bridge at a difficult time in his life. They're a cute pairing with a strong connection. The ending felt a bit rushed with so much happening in a short amount of time. I still love Rachel, this just wasn't my favorite of hers.

Wow Rachel does it again!
When I the blurb for this book I was so excited to read it! From the first page you get sucked in . It’s hard not to feel for Bridge. After an accident that leaves his brother, Julian in a coma, bridge decides Make a deal with the devil in the form of his dad and save his mother from her medical bills . A twin in a coma, impersonating his twin to save the company, this story goes through so many twists and turns. Especially when it comes to Izzy . it’s hard to put this book down.

What a roller coaster ! But oh what a ride. You want this book!

Thank you netgalley and rachel van dyken for my advanced copy.

What an amazing story!! I absolutely loved the suspense and wondering what will happen next.

Hands down, I enjoyed every minute of this book and can’t wait for the next one!!

Oh wow! This is a book I'm not going to forget in a hurry! I had to finish it in one sitting – it was just too good to put down!

Twin brothers, Bridge and Julian, had always been there for each other when they were younger. Bridge in particular, protecting and sticking up for Julian – in front of others, but especially in front of their father. That soon ended when they were forced to live apart, and went years without seeing each other. Fate brings them back together though. It also brings Isobel, Julian’s fiancée, into Bridge's life. Bridge instantly falls for her, but can he really take what isn't his?

Another brilliant book from Rachel Van Dyken. I only realised when I’d finished reading that there's going to be a second book! Best news EVER!! 5 stars!

Another great book from Rachel Van Dyken. I seriously haven't read anything from her that I have not just loved. This was full of emotions and I loved every word!

Stealing Her is RVD’s latest book and overall I really enjoyed it. The plot is dramatic and OTT but I have to say that I liked the premise of the story as I’m a big fan of the forbidden love trope. I really wasn’t sure how the story was going to pan out, which was great because it left me on the edge of he seat all the way through. If I’m honest, the ending wrapped up a little too quickly and a little too neatly for me, but that said, I’m definitely excited to read the next book in this series.

I love many of Rachel's books (haven't read all of them yet). This book is unlike her in many ways. I love angst and this book delivers just enough to satisfy, but does not over do it. Twins swapping places, forbidden love ahhhhhh I just loved it.

I knew I wanted to read Stealing Her by Rachel Van Dyken as soon as I read the blurb and I loved it! The story was angst-filled and full of surprises! I devoured it in one sitting! Two brothers and one woman, I mean bring on the angst and heartbreak!

Bridge is doing everything he can for his mother and himself. His father tore their family apart when he left and only took his twin. But now his father needs him his help and in return, he will Bridge’s mother. All he has to do is pretend to be his twin. But what he never expected was his brother’s fiancé to be a game changer. Though her feelings for Julian had changed, she was still his fiancé. What happens when Bridge falls for her and yet she has no idea who he truly is?

Stealing Her by Rachel Van Dyken was an emotional and angst-filled read and I loved it. We are taken on a journey of family heartbreak, power and control. Can Bridge and Isobel ever find their happily ever after?

Happy reading!

3.5 stars...


The book is told in Bridge and Isobel's alternating POV. This was a bit of a different concept for me to read, twins torn apart when they were in high school and basically do not exist in one another's life for years. I found Bridge to be a very likable character and would like to know more of Isobel's backstory. I felt like the story fell a bit short for me. It is all pretty much given away in the description and there are parts throughout that allude to what is going to happen. It was intriguing to see how it was all going to play out but there wasn't all that much conflict considering the events that occurred.

This book is everything. There is so much emotional depth woven in the words and actions between Izzy and Bridge that I had to read it a second time already. STEALING HER is a beautifully composed story of strength and perseverance and soul-searching love.

RVD has masterfully given us a love story that is epic and wonderful. The words flow between characters and their actions speak louder than their words. This read has now become one of my favorite books of 2019, and dare I say, one of my favorite RVD books.

The intensity of the characters is believable and their backstories draw the reader in even further. There are emotional trials throughout the pages, but I believe that it makes the story that much better.

These characters will stay with me for a long time, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.