A Heart Worth Stealing by author, Joanna Barker, captured my attention from the beginning. A little mystery to solve, some criminal activity, a bit of undercover sleuthing, true friendships, an unexpected romance, discovering oneself, witty conversations, flirting and strong female roles are some of the things I liked about this story. This is a must read! Thank you, #netgalley and @authorjoannabarker for the opportunity to read Ginny's story. I was sad to see this story end. Happy reading, friends!

Book Description:
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.

This is such a fun book! I swooned over the romance and the banter, I laughed over the characters’ wit, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent reading this story!

I love Genevieve and Jack together. Their banter is top-notch, and I loved how it was both witty and romantic at the same time! Genevieve is a strong and determined heroine, which I appreciated, and I liked how clever Jack is. I’ve never heard of a thief-taker (or a “special investigator” as Jack prefers) and it was interesting to read about that profession in this story!

Readers who enjoy regency romance with a mystery to it will absolutely love this book! I highly recommend it, and I am eagerly looking forward to more books by this author!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Joanna Barker is an absolute master of the regency romance genre -- and A Heart Worth Stealing is her best yet, in my opinion!

Genevieve ("Ginny") Wilde is such a compelling main character. Though life hasn't always been fair to her or easy by any means, she's out to do the best she can. At the start of the book, her main focus is caring for her estate, Wimbourne, left to her by her late father. I love how Ginny takes care of the estate not for herself alone, but out of great respect and love for her father and for the people dependent on her estate. When the safety of her estate is threatened, Ginny is out to do whatever she can to remedy the issue. When the local magistrate, Mr. Northcott (who gives supreme 'nice guy' vibes right from his first introduction) doesn't take Ginny seriously, she's not about to let that stop her -- she's got a job to do and far be it from one man to stop her! So, she hires a thief taker (my quick Google search about thief takers proved that yes, this was every bit as scandalous/risky in this era as Ginny makes it out to be. Definitely a fascinating research rabbit hole!).

The interactions between Ginny and her hired thief taker, Jack Travers, are absolute gold. The chemistry is so well written and practically jumps off the page. Their dialogue is spirited and mischevous in the very best way -- the whole novel, I wonder what exactly they'll say next to push the bounds of propriety! The other relationships in the book are equally worth mentioning. Ginny has a wonderfully complex relationship with her half sister, Catherine, and it is intriguing to see that develop and change. Beatrice Lacey is such a delightful best friend and such a compelling side character as to make me hope this is a series with her book yet to come.

Lastly, the plot shows off a new dimension of Joanna Barker's talent -- the suspense and intruige of the overall plot is so masterfully done. I had no idea this was in her repertoire and was pleasantly surprised. The antagonist aspect is especially artful; I had my suspiscions all along, but there were elements I was missing up until the very end and I absolutely couldn't pull myself away until I"d finished and all was revealed! The villain was perfectly done -- such an accurate reflection of what actual terrible humans look like in real life as well as perfectly suited to the novel on the whole.

Definitely a book I'll recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was a new to me author. I was scrolling through Netgalley. The cover first drew my eye, and then the description sounded interesting. I requested and was granted an advance review copy. I am so glad I received this introduction. Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing!

This is a clean romance that is reminiscent of Jane Austen. It seemed well-researched and historically accurate. The main characters are not of the nobility, and the scenes don't take place at a bunch of balls. The story and the characters were refreshing. I definitely plan to read more by Joanna Barker.

The story began shortly after our heroine's father had passed away. Since he did not have a title and no sons, he left everything to his unmarried youngest daughter Miss Genevieve Wilde. She had been doing a great job of running the estate and staff. However, some 'accidents' had been happening, culminating with the theft of her late father's pocket watch. It was very dear to her, so she was willing to do anything in her power to get it back - even hire a thief taker!

Former Bow Street officer Jack Travers responded to her letter by traveling from London and showing up on her doorstep. Jack was confident to the point of almost being arrogant, and Ginny immediately took a dislike to him. However, as the accidents increased in magnitude, she began to feel safer with Jack than without him. He moved in as her 'cousin', and they worked together to find the thief and unravel the mystery behind the reason for these unfortunate events.

The class difference was very clear. Ginny's mother was her father's second wife. She was Ginny's older sister's nanny before her father fell in love and married her. Ginny's sister treated her with disdain in public. In spite of these struggles, Ginny was still landed gentry. She was one of the wealthier people in the area. Therefore, it was important she keep her reputation.

Jack was the bastard of a Lord who paid for Jack's education, but Jack was never accepted by his schoolmates. Raised with his sister by his actress mother, as a thief-taker, there was no way he would be an acceptable husband to Miss Wilde. However, these two moved from enemies to friends with an attraction stronger than either had ever experienced before. In the end, they had to decide what was most important and make a choice.

There was an entire cast of well-rounded supporting characters I did not mention who improved rather than confused the story. The writing was lovely. The mystery was intriguing. The romance was a slow build. Everything was believable. If you enjoy clean HR, I recommend!

This book was so enjoyable! Ginny and Jack join forces to solve the mystery of the vandalism and theft on Ginny's estate. I loved watching Ginny begin to drop her state of tension and stress as she realized that Jack made her feel safe.

Without giving too much away, there IS a happily ever after and a sweet scene that takes places IN a tree that you won't want to miss!

This #earc was provided by #netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Joanna Barker treats her readers to a delightful Regency tale with "A Heart Worth Stealing". Part "whodunit", this lovely romance has a cast of engaging characters. The seemingly mismatched Genevieve Wilde and thief-taker Jack Travers find love as they work to find the culprit behind a theft and increasing vandalism.

The reader comes along for the ride with this fast-paced book, as she also attempts to unmask the villain. There are several likely suspects, and a variety of motives. The proven "bad actor" didn't completely surprise me, although the motive did. The mystery's resolution wasn't predictable, and that's a definite plus.

Joanna Barker's prose is always pleasing, with few grammatical errors. With witty and clever banter, a sweet romance, and an intriguing mystery, "A Heart Worth Stealing" is an altogether enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this captivating story.

I'm picky about my regency set novels. But A Heart Worth Stealing was one I loved. And I think it's because this one gave me strong Independent women who are slightly out of place for the time period they are in. As well as heroes aren't exactly the one's readers swoon over. But I like my heroes a little rough around the edges.

**Review will be published on my sites and socials April 27th**

MY NEW FAVORITE.

Y’all. Here me out. Romantic suspense PLUS regency romance. It’s my new favorite thing. I looooved this so much!!!

Jack was heavenly swoony. I tabbed my book many times over at his glances and endearing ways. I loved his personality and there was off the charts chemistry between him and Ginny from the get-go. Fiery banter and passionate kisses and I am in love.

I loved Ginny’s tenacity and take charge nature. It’s not overwhelming, it’s empowering. She grows through putting the past behind, solving crimes, and doing what’s best for her estate. I also appreciate a great friendship and I adored that connection as well.

There’s the perfect balance between romance and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to know what happens next. Who took the watch? Who’s causing chaos? It’s such a unique dynamic for this genre and Barker’s writing is captivating. I LOVE her writing and will continue to read anything of hers I can get my hands on.

Overall audience notes:

Regency Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: medium
Trigger/Content Warnings: physical altercations, gun violence, arson, attempted murder, loss of a parent

I love Joanna Barker! This is the second book of hers that I've read and thoroughly enjoyed.

Genevieve is left to care for her home after her father's passing. When she finds that her father's watch has been taken, she obtains help from Mr. Northcott who took over her late father's position as magistrate... and the man who has asked for her hand in marriage more than once. When he seems as if he won't be of any help, Genevieve hires a thief taker, Mr. Jack Travers. They find out that there are other instances of things gone awry throughout Wimborne.

* Jack is attractive, dedicated to his investigative work, and a little bit of a flirt when it comes to Genevieve.
“I cannot help but think this a waste of time.”
“A morning spent with a beautiful lady is never a waste,” Mr. Travers said as he perused his notes.
* Genevieve is devastated with the loss of her father since he is all she's had. Her half sister hates her and her mother died (I think) from childbirth. She's intent to keep Wimborne up and running without the need to marry.

I loved these two from the moment they first interacted. This was a clean historical romance where the mystery of finding out who is responsible for all of the attacks on Wimborne seemed to be the main plot and the couple's romance as a subplot. I thoroughly enjoyed how it was written and how the story flowed.

Excellent read!

I adored this book. The banter between the two main characters is just fantastic!! I am all for the witty banter! This was my first book by this author, but now I want to binge read her backlist.

“Even if he was a scoundrel of the worst sort, it would all be worth it.
I hoped.”

While I’ve enjoyed every story that I’ve read by Joanna Barker, this is my favorite, it is absolute perfection!

It was fresh, fun and a completely delightful with a hilarious meet cute and a perfect first kiss that is completely original, swoony and will leave you cheering for the main characters. It also has an air of mystery with some nice twists to keep you guessing.

If there is one thing I love to see in a book, it is winking. I especially love winks when they appear in regency era stories where everything is normally so proper. Let me just say that Jack doesn’t disappoint with his lopsided grin and his winking.

Genevieve (Ginny) Wilde is distraught when her deceased father’s pocket watch is stolen. When the local magistrate doesn’t come to her aid, she does what she thinks is best and hires a thief-taker.

When Jack Travers arrives at Miss Wilde’s home, she is thoroughly frustrated, not only with his good looks, but also with his personality and methods. Slowly as she and Jack spend more time together, she realizes there is more than meets the eye with Mr. Travers.

Ginny is an absolute delight of a character. She is brilliant, strong, and resilient, yet not obnoxious or overbearing. In a time when the intelligence of women was often scoffed at, Ginny shows that intelligence can also accompany humility.

Jack, well I do believe he just might be my new favorite male character. He is surprising, kind-hearted, flirtatious and absolutely lovable! I loved all of his interactions with Ginny.

Enemies-to-more
Banter
Flirting
Amazing chemistry
Forced proximity
Mystery (who-done-it)

A Heart Worth Stealing is exceptionally well done and a must read!

✨Book Review✨

“"I will not leave her. So long as she wants me, I will be at her side."”

Joanna Barker deserves an award for writing such swoon worth men! A Heart Worth Stealing is one of my favorite reads for this year, and I can’t wait for it to be available in stores next year.

Genevieve or Ginny to her friends is such a great character. She is coming into her own as a land owner, which is no easy feet to do as a woman during the regency time period. Despite someone trying to sabotage her, she still pushes forward. She takes a risk and hires a thief- taker which definitely turns her world upside down.

Jack aka the thief-taker, is a charmer and a dream boat. He is witty, intelligent and a lovable idiot. He is intelligent but sometimes jumps into things without thinking. Bless his heart. But he does recognize his faults and tries his best to be better and help out sweet Ginny.

These two are quickly became some of my favorite book characters. I loved their banter and the respect they have for each other. Watching them work together/falling in love was so enjoyable. This book was a quick read. I couldn’t put it down once I got started. I love the mystery, it wasn’t Joanna Barker’s normal but she did such a good job!

These thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks NetGalley for the Arc.

Wimborne is in trouble but Ginny doesn't really understand the lengths she will need to go to ensure it's survival.

Miss Genevieve "Ginny" Wilde's most favourite possession has been stolen and she is not getting anywhere with the local magistrate, who replaced her late father. Ginny sees an advert for a thief-taker of bow street fame and sends a letter to ask for assistance.

Jack Travers arrives at Wimborne to find more than just the single theft, but a bigger threat to Wimborne. Ginny must overcome her fears and enlist Jack's help to not only save Wimborne but also her reputation.

Do they save Wimborne? Can they find the watch? Can Ginny ignore the charismatic thief-taker and work with him to solve the mystery?

This was a lovely read! I just would have liked some spice. However, when Ginny's inner voice changed from Mr Travers to Jack that I was hooked! The only thing that would have made it better was some spice.

YES PLEASE MORE OF THIS! I loved this story, the mystery aspect of it, the characters, the setting - ALL OF IT! I cannot wait to dive more into Joanna Barker's back list!

This book was such a refreshing read, I love historical romance, and this book was different from the usual stories. The chemistry from the get go, the snark, the banter - all amazing! I loved her independence and his way of talking and dealing with her without trying to take over her life - he just got under her skin in the most delicious way.. The mystery played out in a very enjoyable way, without giving away anything. I loved all the side characters, even the half sister.

4.5 Stars!

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After her father's death six months ago, Genevieve Wilde inherits Wimborne estate. But there has been mischief: vandalism, missing sheep, and now the theft of her beloved father's pocket watch. Desperate, she hires a thief-taker to find the watch and whoever is behind all the trouble.
Jack Travers is charming, witty, and resourceful. He stays on site to make sure no harm comes to the estate or Genevieve. Little do they know, the mischief is about to turn into outright danger to both their lives.
I received a digital ARC in exchange for honest reviews, so I'll be thorough. Jack, Genevieve, her friend Beatrice, and his friend Wily are all hilarious. I relate to Beatrice more than any other Regency character I've ever read about. Keep speaking your mind, girl! I double checked some phrases to make sure they existed in 1802. "Peeping Tom" was coined in 1796, "drat" was used by the early 1800s, but "if looks could kill" (page 85) wasn't around until the early 1900s. She also claims she was "robbed" in the beginning. Robbery is when someone deprives you of property by force or fear. Breaking into a study to steal a pocket watch is burglary. As for the mystery, I knew who did it pretty early on, but only guessed a very small percentage of why the person did it. The romance elements are really sweet. Borderline too much kissing (inner prude was starting to squirm), but their selflessness for each other is beautiful. Love the friendships and the growing family relationships. I will say of Jack that black hair and blue eyes are actually a rare combination, so I have to try to suspend disbelief a bit each time (and man, it is common in romance). "Dark" hair is easier to believe, because it can be dark brown. Overall, great book! Really enjoyed it. Be sure to purchase it when it comes out in May!

Public review: https://www.instagram.com/authorlindsaybetz/
I also posted it in several Facebook groups, including one with 1.1 million members. Groups are private, so a link won't do any good, but the review is out there!

Such a cute regency with a bit of a mystery, too. Genevieve and Jack were fun characters and I loved their banter.
The story was interesting and kept me hooked beginning to end but I especially enjoyed the 2nd half of the book.
You really can’t ever go wrong with a book by this author.

Im was very looking fordward to read this book since the moment Joanna Barker annonunced it and when I was able to received an ARC from Netgalley I was really, really Happy!
This book is so funny, entertaining and have a dash of mystery that I absolutely love! Jack, the MMC is completely swoony and I love witty and funny Ginny
Joanna is an auto-buy author for me an one of my favorites
I recommend to read this book and all of hers!

Ginny and Jack! This is such a different proper romance book for me. I loved how it was a mystery with finding the watch but then turned thriller because Ginny was part of a larger plot. Enemies to lovers is always a favorite trope so that was done very well. I highly recommend! This is probably in my top 5 favorite proper romances along with Edenbrooke and Miss Newburys List.

Excellent love story with elements of mystery. I love the hero and heroine and how well they were written. Well done,

When Genevieve Wilde finds her late father’s watch is missing and receives little help from local authorities, she hires thief-taker/special investigator Jack Travers to recover the family heirloom. It becomes clear this is part of a larger series of nefarious events targeting Ginny and her estate. Over the course of their investigation the two fall in love and solve the case.

Overall this was an enjoyable read with a mystery plot bringing the two lead characters with similar histories (class standing! authenticity vs propriety!) to work together despite initial reservations on her side. The villain was pretty predictable, but I prefer that to something you’d never be able to guess.

Highlights were the scene involving Jack’s family (we love a main male character raised around so many women) and the sarcastic/flirty banter between Jack and Ginny. Would have liked to see Jack’s perspective to learn more about his upbringing, his former job, to see Ginny though his eyes, etc. The romantic pacing in the middle felt a bit off to me—like her reservations about him were knocked down in a chapter and suddenly she was in love with him. Maybe I just like more mulling and pining.

Not precisely my cup of tea but a solid choice for readers who enjoy low steam (the back cover lists this as a “clean” romance) historical romances and mysteries.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review this ARC.