I thoroughly enjoyed this book. JoAnna is one of my favorite authors. She does a great job describing detail to help me feel like I’m actually inside of the book experiencing each moment. This book was no exception.

I absolutely loved Jack. He was so bold and forthright to Genevieve. I knew from the beginning how it was going to end, and I even predicted the culprit right from the beginning but it was still a great read.

The oak tree scene was EVERYTHING. I will definitely be recommending this book to all of my friends THANK YOUUU.

Six months after his passing, Genevieve Wilde continues to mourn the loss of her beloved father. When his treasured pocket watch is stolen, she is devastated and hires a 'special investigator' to help retrieve it. Former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives from London to investigate, and soon discovers there's more afoot than just a missing watch. As Jack and Ginny work together to solve the mystery, they also discover a growing respect and deep attraction for each other.

A Heart Worth Stealing is a fabulous combination of romance and mystery! I loved both of the main characters. Ginny is intelligent, independent, and not afraid to speak her mind. Jack is funny, flirtatious, unpredictable, and so sweet. Their banter with each other was perfect, as was that first kiss! I was totally swept away with this fun and engaging story and couldn't put it down! I've read several books by this author and enjoyed each one, but this one is now my favorite.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for a review copy. All opinions are my own.

A fun mystery regency romance! I loved Jack's character and interesting background. I wished we could have had a chapter or two from his perspective creating more action scenes! I only figured out half the mystery but it was fun to guess who the villain was. I really like the sister story line between Catherine and Ginny. Their drama was something that happened back in the regency era but it's not normally written about and made the characters feel real. The main protagonist's romance, sister drama, and mystery kept my attention and made it a fast read.

I realize the author writes more romance but I would love a sequel that included some of Jack's investigations. As a former bow street runner and his newly acquired job at the end of this story, he would have A LOT of great stories to tell!

The cover is stunning and made me immediately want to read it.

I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

A Heart Worth Stealing is an incredible story of belonging, romance, suspense, and mystery. The main characters are desperately trying to find their precarious footing in society and fight their feelings for one another in order to do so. However, danger has a way of bonding people together and Ginny and Jack are no exception.

This is a beautifully written book. The plot was interesting and kept me turning page after page (after page, after page, after page). A Heart Worth Stealing checks all my boxes: well written & suspenseful mystery, sweet and swoony romance, and (light) danger & intrigue. In romance mysteries, sometimes the mystery or the romance gets lost in the mix. That’s definitely not the case in this book! I related deeply to the characters and their feelings of being ostracized from society. I felt the emotions of the characters and it made the story that much more meaningful. Luckily, the strong romance doesn’t detract from the sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat mystery and intrigue; it finds its place powerfully later in the book and the romance aspect actually enhances the tension of the climax of the book.

The first half of the story seems a bit slow paced, but it’s more than made up from in the end. After reading the entire book, the pacing made sense and added more meaning to the story and impact to the suspenseful ending.

I love Proper Romance and this book does not disappoint. The plot is fast paced and exciting. If you love historical romance novels this is a must read.

Joanna Barker is now an instant-read author for me. Her hero’s are always so swoon-worthy, strong and yet vulnerable, and perfectly encapsulate Mr. Darcy energy. And so, meet Jack, our hero. My new favorite book bf. Jack is an investigator who helps our heroine, Ginny, to solve the mystery of her late father’s watch. Mystery and suspense follow the duo as they solve the crime and become closer by the minute.
The banter and chemistry they share is off the charts. For a clean romance- and tbh I read some truly spicy stuff regularly- their love story is so well composed and enthralling that I never miss the 🌶️ and would take a thousand Jack kisses any day. The way Joanna Barker writes her characters’ love crescendos makes me cry every dang time. 5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for my unbiased review!

"A Heart Worth Stealing" is Joanna Barker's newest novel. Barker, known for her Regency romances, continues in the same vein with her new book. This book centers around Genevieve ("Ginny"), who is now in charge of her late father's estate after his unexpected passing. All alone in the world (with the exception of an estranged step-sister), Ginny is now experiencing strange happenings: thefts, break-ins, etc. Not knowing who to turn to, she hires a private investigator, Jack, to help her determine who is behind these occurrences. Along the way, Ginny ends up in an unexpected love triangle, and she has to figure out what to do about the sparks that are flying between her and Jack.

This was a nice, easy read, and I enjoyed the chemistry between Ginny and Jack. I would read another book by Joanna Barker! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A Heart Worth Stealing is a sweet and proper romance, with a spunky and independent heroine and a handsome hero hiding secrets. Ginny has a troubled relationship with her older half-sister, and I enjoyed watching that plot thread play out. She also has a loyal best friend who I’m guessing will get her own romance in a sequel to A Heart Worth Stealing. I loved the cover.

The plot has heart, flirting, manners, and action. What it does not have is a lot of mystery; I guessed who the villain was very early on. A ruse in which the thief-taker pretends to be Ginny’s cousin stretched believability even for me as the reader, much less for Ginny’s sister and acquaintances. As usual with historical romance, I found myself wishing the story had a third person narrator, instead of Ginny.

I read an advance reader copy of A Heart Worth Stealing from Netgalley.

What a pleasant surprise! This book combines the best of a regency romance and romantic suspense novel. I loved the mystery plot that brought forced proximity between Ginny and Jack. Their interactions were clever and delightful, and I loved seeing them work together against Ginny's mystery antagonizer. I had a hard time putting the book down because of the charming characters, tense plot, and engaging writing.

I will say that I was left wanting a bit more, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps I wanted more growth from Ginny and Jack outside of their romance, or perhaps it's because I solved the mystery plot quite early on in the book. However, I still very much enjoyed reading this, and I'd highly recommend to regency romance lovers!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Shadow Mountain, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: thievery, threats, arson, fighting and gun violence, kisses

I think I'm in the minority here with how little I liked this one. I loved A Game of Hearts by the same author, but this one was positively boring (in comparison or not). I didn't overly care for either Ginny or Jack, their chemistry was lacking, and the mystery was easily guessed at. This one was not for me.

First Joanna Barker book and I loved it! Ginny and Jack were great leads from such different backgrounds! I rooted for them to overcome those differences to allow them to find out what was going on around them. This is a fast-passed mystery that draws you in quickly. Frustration mounted every time I was called away to real life – I wanted to get back to Ginny and Jack to find out what was going on! Find out who was playing some really mean tricks on Ginny! And, I loved the ‘clean’ aspect of this adorable romance.

She really good at leaving hints with out being obvious. It was a delightful mystery, with unique setting and characters that make you smile wide. This is such a brilliantly fun story.

I'll admit the book didn't grab me immediately, and I almost put it down after 20%. But I'm glad I didn't because at about the halfway point, the book really picks up, and oh my goodness. This is sooooo good! I loved the mystery, the stakes, and especially the romance. I thought both characters were really fleshed out well, and I especially enjoyed Ginny's character, as she isn't afraid to stick up for herself or go after what (or who ;)) she wants.

I really enjoyed reading A Heart Worth Stealing, and I recommend it to anyone who loves a swoon-worthy hero and romantic kisses. Definitely loved!

Oh my goodness! The Queen of Romance strikes again! Joanna Barker is just the best at romantic chemistry/tension. This book was amazing! I absolutely love Ginny and Jack! Ginny is so brave, and bold and goes after what she wants. She cares about the safety of her staff and doesn’t shy away from making sure they are safe. Jack is funny, confident and charming. He is also very caring. I love how there is a mystery element to this story. Jack and Ginny work together to figure out who is behind the theft, vandalism and threats to Ginny. Clean read and definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content: Kisses

I wvoluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker is unlike anything I've read in the Regency Romance genre. One part romance, one part mystery, this book was wholly unique and enjoyable to read!

When Miss Genieve Wilde places an ad to hire a thief-taker to help her find her late father's pocketwatch, a very handsome Mr. Jack Travers responds. As the pair work together to solve the mystery and find the watch, they also find love. But the course of true love never did run smoothly, and thank goodness, because I adored this story.

I loved seeing Genienve take action and stand up for herself, even when doing so was difficult (or ill-advised ;) ). And oh, Mr. Jack Travers! He was completely swoon-worthy--smart and confident, but also a little broken. I only wish I could have read a few chapters from his POV.

As usual, Mr. Barker's prose is on-point, her characters real, and the story stunning. Ms. Barker has outdone herself with this book! I highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance, proper romance fans, and mystery enthusiasts. You won't be disappointed!

What a great, enjoyable read! I couldn’t have loved it more!

I loved the relationship between the two main characters. Ginny was so strong and yet vulnerable. I loved to see her growth as she came to trust herself and others and realize what’s most important.

Jack was a dream! So swoony with his roguish charm. He was a great hero! I just loved the relationship with he and Ginny. So much fun banter.

If you love reading awesome regency romance with a twisty mystery. You will love this book! I can’t say enough how much I recommend this book. One of the my favorite reads this year!

A beloved stolen watch of her late father causes Ginny Wilde to hire Jack Travers to help her track down the thief. As Jack learns more details about the estate, he realizes that Ginny is in danger of much more than a robber. Are the incidents connected, or does Ginny have more enemies than she realized?

Ginny is a young lady who I was rooting for the entire time! She is so incredibly determined to prove herself capable of keeping the estate going. She has a strong need to continue her father’s legacy and prove she is capable, even using unconventional means such as hiring a thief taker. She has little time for herself and seems like she had to grow up quickly

Jack was a great lead man. He is caring, compassionate, and a fierce protector. He’d be a man that I’d definitely want on my side if I had trouble. “I’ll always be there for you.” is the quote that perfectly describes Jack.

I loved Jack’s family and his shady assistant, Wily. Seeing their relationship to him gave me a more complete picture of what kind of man he was like. I really hope we get to see more of them in future books. It would be so fun to see the Wily and Jack unusual crime solving team in more cases.

Romance, plot twists, danger, suspense, and mystery make this a book that I am certain I will read again. I highly recommend reading this book. A bonus is there are discussion questions for book clubs, which I really appreciate.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

AHHHHHHH!!!!!

I have so much I could say about this book but I can sum it up in one word: perfection.

I have read - and loved - everything Joanna Barker has written but this one? This one tops them all.

Ginny, stubborn and snarky, and Jack, a handsome "special investigator" who is charming and flirty, are such a perfect match. Joanna writes her characters in 3d - you get to know them so well that they are endearing and entirely unforgettable. The romantic tension between Jack and Ginny was so.well.done. You could feel the angst and chemistry practically leap off the page. And the flirty banter? *chef's kiss

The suspenseful scenes and the mystery as Ginny and Jack try to track down a thief had me glued to the book and yea, did NOT see those plot twists coming. Loved all the side characters who also stole my heart and will hopefully get a story of their own some day.

And oh my. That first kiss. Hold the phone. One of THE swooniest first kiss scenes in a historical fiction I have ever read. Like off the charts swoon. The best part? There is not one, not two, but multiple kiss scenes that will leave even the most hopeless romantics satisfied. And if stargazing was not romantic before, it most definitely is now!!

This one gets all the hearts and stars from me and will undoubtedly be a book I pick up to re-read over and over. Such a dreamy romance with every element that makes a good story and like Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way."

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

I read my first Joanna Barker book almost exactly 4 years ago. I remember at one point of reading that book I had to stop for some reason and when I closed the book I came to a realization. I hadn't been paying any attention to the words or grammar in the book. I'd been totally focused on the story and the verbal imagery painting a picture in my mind. I was completely immersed in the story. That only happens to me if the story is really well written. And I think I've experienced that with every book I've read of hers since. The story takes over in my head with no distractions of odd phrases or awkward wording or one of the things that bothers me the most, constant repetition. They just aren't there to distract me from the story.

That was also true with this book. I was very excited to have the chance to read it. Beautifully written, outrageous flirtation on his part, some intrigue along with the romance, deception, kidnapping, perilous situations... Ha, just had the thought too of the child's taunting poem- Two little love birds sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G. (That happens in this book too. tee-hee).

Very enjoyable read. I loved it.

Sex: kissing
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

Another hit from Joanna Barker!

This book ABSOLUTELY stole my heart! I love a good charade trope! I loved the banter between Ginny and Jack ! I like how independent and brave Ginny and how kind and funny Jack was!

This book is perfect for fans of regency romances!