I think this one fell flat for me because I didn’t read The Steal before. It is a pretty fast paced novella that packs some mystery and glamour. It is a quick, enjoyable read, but just not what I would typically be interested in.

“𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥.” - C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose, The Bait

The Bait picks up a year after we last saw famed jewelry designer and heiress, Ania and former insurance investigator, Jerome in New York after a big twist ending in The Steal. This time they are in Venice and Ania has planned a daring jewel heist during the Venetian Carnival to lure an infamous jewelry thief, known as the Leopard, out of hiding.

As with the first, this book ends with a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to see what's in store for this pair of unlikely lovers in Book 3.

Since these novellas run only about 130 pages, I recommend you read The Steal first to fully understand the back story behind the Leopard and to get a sense of Ania and Jerome’s unusual relationship. These books are fun crime capers full of 1950s glamour and, taken as a whole, would be like watching a Cary Grant and Grace Kelly feature film.

This book is the 2nd in a series of 3. It’s set in Venice is reminiscent of Hollywood glam in the 50s and 60s.
It was very entertaining and what I like to call a quick little palate cleanser. It is a fun, adventurous type novel with robberies, a love story, and issues that remain unresolved with Ania.
Not my usual type of read but enjoyable all the same!

While reading The Bait, you feel like you are watching an old, glitz and glam movie picture in your head. I enjoyed the previous novel, the Heist for its contrasting duo romance and the glimpse into the elegant and classy lifestyle of how the rich lived in the 1950's.

It is a quick read that offers entertaining scenes and it moves quickly through each chapter - which is appreciated and keeps the story exciting.

It takes from the tried and true formula of heists with romance mixed in - fun and quick read! Plus, it's interesting to know that this is written by two authors collaborating together.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review The Bait.

This one was just ok for me. I wasn’t very connected with the characters. There wasn’t as much action as the first. I am interested in seeing how this story wraps up. I think overall it will fit into the story once it is all completed.

I was fortunate to get an early look at The Bait and loved it almost as much as The Steal. The second novella in a series of three, The Bait picks up the timeline just a little after where you'd expect from where the The Steal ended. Anyone who loved The Steal for the late 50's glamor will still continue to be satisfied. Venice makes an even more gorgeous setting than Cannes and I was left wanting to hear more about the setting.
There doesn't seem to be as much tension involving the Leopard this time as most of his scenes are covert and some of his actions were predictable. We do meet a lovely new side character that I hope will have a role in book 3. There is more tension between Jerome and Ania than in the first novella and it isn't pure romantic tension. The ending was a bit shocking, even if it is a perfect cliff-hanger for book 3.
Overall I am anxiously awaiting book 3, projected to be released later this year. Even in my anticipation, I am already sad that book 3 will finish out this fun series.

When you think jewelry heist and glamour - I think of those 1950's movies, like "To Catch a Thief" and also "The Pink Panther!" I thought of those again while reading The Bait, by C.W. Gortner|169656] and M.J. Rose - part two of this 1950's jewelry heist novella trilogy. I liked this book better than the first, The Steal, although that was a fun read too.

This story again is read from two perspectives - Ania Thorne and Jerome Curtis. It starts with Ania Thorne seeking revenge against The Leopard - a jewelry thief who stole the jewels she and her father lovingly designed as part of her family's jewelry business (from the first book). She creates a caper to steal them back during the famous Venetian Carnival - a place where everyone who is someone is seen. But it goes all wrong and her lover, stand-up, former WWII soldier, outsider, solid Jerome Curtis (who has given up everything to be with her) is looked upon as the thief.

The story is fun and is a fun break. I found myself still liking Jerome's character more than Ania and I liked reading the story from his perspective.

It does have a cliffhanger ending - and that's okay. It works here and I look forward to Novella number three.

Read it for a light fun escape -you should read book one first - but not entirely necessary.

Thank you @mjroseauthor @getredprbooks @letstalkbookspromo for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The latest installment of this series, The Bait happens one year later after The Steal. Ania Throne and her lover, Jerome stage a heist at the Venetian Carnival to get back what is rightfully hers. But Ania soon learns that the risk is too great and she will lose what is most important to her-James.
I like that we hear from both Ania and James in this cat and mouse page turner! I think I liked this one even better than The Steal!

This is a fun series with each being a short novella of about 200 pages. They are just enough to leave you excited for the next one to begin! The Bait can be read as a stand alone but is best enjoyed read in order! If you like a good heist, set in a glamorous setting, Venice, and also appreciate a quick read add this to your TBR!

Thank you to @letstalkbookspromo for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

The second novella in the To Catch a Leopard triology, THE BAIT finds the lovers Ania and Jerome in Venice, Italy during the Venetian Carnival a year after the events in THE STEAL. Determined to trap the Leopard, they plan a daring heist to steal the famed Lemon Twist necklace from Julie Kimbell during her own ball.

Events, however, do not go as planned, and Jerome becomes the focus of the investigation. He realizes Ania may not have been completely honest and that revenge may be more important than her feelings towards him.

This is a quick-paced, classic heist story with a touch of romance. I loved the Venice setting and all the 1950s glamour! The writing style evokes the era, and I think it’s unevenly successful. There’s a scene at a glass factory on Murano island that I really enjoyed: when I was in graduate school, I worked at a bead store and I still sometimes make jewelry so I enjoyed the descriptions of the necklaces and other accessories.

A good choice for readers looking for a quick, fun, romantic heist.

This second installment in the To Catch a Leopard series is out today and was a fun romantic crime caper just like the first, The Steal.
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This one, The Bait by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose, took us to Venice for the main couples attempt to bait the Leopard, a notorious jewel thief, and catch him for once and for all. The setting among the canals and history of Venice in the 1950s was perfect for this caper which began with an elaborate ball and took us quickly through Ania and Jerome’s plot to bait the Leopard, or was the Leopard baiting them?
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I still love the “To Catch a Thief” vibes, the opulence and the fast pace these authors bring us. I would advise you read the first book before this one. I think they are perfect little reads to wisk you away and keep you guessing what is going going to happen. I can’t wait for the next one in the series!

Ooh la la, a classic 1950s jewelry theft filled with glamour, deception, and drama? Yes, please! I’ve never read anything like this before and I was loving it. I read through this one very quickly and am so ready to read the next book that comes out in this series.

This is the second novella of a series but can be read as a standalone as well. We get to meet Ania and Jerome who team up to steal an exquisite piece of jewelry at a contessa’s party. Things get heated real fast and the heist doesn’t seem to go as planned. I can’t even say any more because I don’t want to give it away, but I was over here like oooh Ania, what are you doing, girl.

It sounds like such a simple plot but there was so much wrapped up into it and I was constantly kept on my toes. I didn’t really know who I was rooting for until the very end so when I was done, I wished there was like 200 more pages for me to read so I could appreciate it all more.

This is a fun and classic read that you need to check out! I also think it’s a good one for getting out of a book slump, jussayin’…

This novella is book 2 in a series of 3 and gives all the feels of the rich and the glamorous in the late 1950s.

It’s described as a romantic caper which it was and it was fabulous!

Set in Venice in Winter, Ania Thorne, a jewelry designer on sabbatical from her company, is out for revenge to snare a thief called the Leopard. She has enlisted her main man for the moment, Jerome, to help pull off the theft of a 120 carat canary diamond necklace.

There is some tension in the palazzo when the thieves become the victims and Jerome becomes suspect number one with the polizia.

There are some serious unresolved daddy issues for Ania and the ending is a cliffhanger that will leave you anticipating book 3.

This is a perfect series to read when you want a short, entertaining, and escape from real life book.

I purposefully read Book 2 first since that’s the one I was reviewing. I didn’t feel lost reading book 2 first but book 1 gives you more background on everything so if you can start there, I would.

Ania and Jerome are back! And like in the first book, The Steal, the whole story exuded 50’s glitzy glamour, excessive extravagance and elaborate heist. Venice is the perfect setting for the cat-and-mouse-game between our lovebirds and The Leopard. In this second installment, I was super frustrated with Ania the whole time! I felt like she became obsessed with her revenge and took Jerome for granted. Jerome on the other hand, seemed to be under Ania’s spell and didn’t exert his influence as much as in the first book. I enjoyed getting to know Ania’s past lovelife and also a bit of the Leopard’s backstory. The book ended in a major cliffhanger yet again, making me scream and wanting book 3 ASAP!!! I only wish it wouldn’t end on book 3 because I want to read more of Ania and Jerome’s adventures! Can’t get enough of them!!!💖

The Bait is the second of three novellas in the To Catch a Leopard series. Jewelry designer Ania Thorne, along with her romantic partner Jerome Curtis, is out for revenge against jewel thief The Leopard after his spectacular heist in Cannes. This time the action takes place in 1959 Venice about a year after the first story ends.

This is a fun series of novellas told in dual point of view and alternating chapters between Ania and Jerome. These two have an interesting dynamic and there's lots of opposite attract going on. The story involves glamor, intrigue and a cat and mouse game that continues in the next story. I'm looking forward to reading book 3 later this year.

Thank you to the publisher and Let's Talk Books Promo for my e-copy of this book.

This is the second book in the 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔.

Ania and her boyfriend, Jerome, are stunned when they discover the identity of the notorious jewel thief known as The Leopard (in 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒍) and they determine work together to plot revenge on this daring thief.

It is one year after Ania Thorne’s stunning jewel collection was stolen by The Leopard. Ania and Jerome travel to Venice as they plan to make a jewel heist of their own, to lure The Leopard to come to them. The jewel heist is a success, but there is a glitch when suspicion is unexpectedly cast on Jerome! Ania and Jerome have a plan to clear his name but The Leopard is more cunning and has a few surprises in store for Ania and Jerome!

𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔: I actually enjoyed 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒊𝒕 even more than 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒍! There is more dialogue between Ania and Jerome, and though their relationship appears strained at times, it begins to strengthen as the story moves to its dramatic and cliffhanging solution! This is a quick read, told in alternating viewpoints between Ania and Jerome. Read this if you love exciting mystery-romance stories!

𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆: I have tried not to reveal any spoilers for readers who have not yet read the first book in this series, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒍. Though 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒊𝒕 can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend you start with the first book! It has a revelation you will not want to miss!

My thanks to NetGalley, @getredprbooks, and @letstalkbookspromo for my ebook. My thoughts are my own.

I was a big fan of The Steal, so I was excited to see what C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose would come up with for The Bait. This short novella was a great follow-up to book 1, and this is the first time I have read a series in the form of novellas. Each one has given just a taste of what is to come, and I think it has been an interesting ride so far. The pacing is fairly quick, and I really enjoy the way the story is told in alternating viewpoints between Jerome and Ania. Ania drove me a little bit crazy in this installment, and I just really wished she would let Jerome in as she gets a little obsessive about tracking her father down.

I listened to and loved The Steal on audio, but I didn't want to wait for it to come out for The Bait so I went ahead and read it. I don't think you can go wrong with either format, and this was definitely a super quick read, so you don't necessarily need the audiobook. The Venice setting was quite entrancing, and I loved the descriptions of the city throughout the book. I thought this was a bit of a slower burn compared to the first book, but it felt more intense if that makes sense. I felt like the story really kept me on my toes, and I had no idea what to expect. If you read and enjoyed The Steal, I think you will enjoy The Bait as well!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Story: Set in Venice, Italy a year after The Steal, Ania and Jerome are still on the hunt for the Leopard. However, their plain to set the bait for the notorious thief during the Venetian Carnival takes an unexpected twist that makes Jerome now the person-of-interest in police investigation.

My thoughts: The Bait is the second novella of To Catch a Leopard series and I enjoyed it! I liked that there was more character depth as we get to know more about Ania and Jerome. Their endearing relationship is put to the test in this book and I am not going to spoil anything here!

This novella has less action compared to the first one but I liked the overall plot. It was intense! You do have to start this series from the beginning since the big twist from the first book was the main focus in this story. I am definitely looking forward to reading The Heist - the final book of this series!


Pub. Date: Jan 4th, 2022

***Thank you Blue Box Press, authors C. W. Gortner, M. J. Rose and NetGalley for this gifted review copy to read and review. All opinions expressed are my own.***

We continue the hunt for the notorious thief known as the Leopard with the main characters Ania and Jerome. Ania plans to draw her father out by stealing one of his first creations that he tried to get back for display but failed to do. Quickly though, Ania and Jerome realize they are in over their head after the stolen jewelry is discovered before they anticipated and they are in the head detective’s spotlight. The Leopard seems to be one step ahead at all times by setting the two up to fail. The question is….who will succeed? The Leopard and his dubious ways, or the newly in love couple wanting revenge for a betrayal?

This was such a quick read. Enjoyable and short. A tad realistic even because it showed the couple bickering and not head over heels through it all. I found myself mad at Ania in this book though. Hopefully the third book redeems her and her father gets what’s coming to him.

Thank you so much to @mjroseauthor @getredprbooks @letstalkbookspromo for the complimentary review copy of The Bait so I could participate in this blog tour! The Bait came out on January 4, 2022.

The Bait is the second installment of Ania Thorne's story. Ania and Jerome are in Venice, working hard to recover the jewels that the leopard stole from her in Cannes the previous year.

I really enjoyed the way the story picked up in this installment. We had a front row seat to the glamour surrounding the people who buy Ania's jewelry.

I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion of this series when the third novella comes out in August 2022.

Diamonds are a girls best friend, and never more so than for Ania Throne. Together with her lover, Jerome, they begin to plot how to take revenge on Leopard, a notorious diamond thief who they unmasked in book #1.

This novella picks-up many months after the big reveal at the end of The Steal. The setting, Venice, a high-profile masquerade with simmering gems serves as the ultimate trap to lure the burglar out of hiding. This short story is the perfect cut with ALL its glitz, glamour and sexiness of the 1950's.

Ania is flawless and Jerome's brilliance shines even brighter in book #2.

Oh Ania what have you done...Book #3 can't wait!

Strongly recommend the novella's be read in order.

Thank you Lets Talk Books Promo, M. J. Rose and GetRed PR Books for the complimentary copy.
#thebait #letstalkbookspromo