Joanna Barker can do no wrong in my eyes. Every book she writes is consistent in all areas. Plot, character development, setting, side characters, details/description, dialogue...it's ALL THERE. Every single time. I don't know how she does it, but she does.

'Though I had control of my own estate, I was just a single woman. How was I to keep my home safe? I had no one left to guide me. No mother since the day I was born. No sister since Catherine had decided I was a thorn in her side. No father. Tears burned in my eyes. I fought them back. I needed solutions, not a headache.'

Enter Jack Travers :)

Jack is a jack-of-all trades who specializes in solving mysteries and crimes as a "special investigator". From the second you meet him, you will be hoping to find him on every single page lol. He is witty-has a fabulous comeback for everything. He is exasperating to our female main character and he knows it---and it makes him exasperate her even more. It's banter gold!

Ginny, our female main character doesn't want to rely on anyone to help her, but knows when she is in over her head. Little does she know bringing Jack into her life will put her way in over her head...in a way she isn't expecting. I love her strong personality. I love that she knows her own mind. I love that she's human and owns up to her mistakes and assumptions and I LOVE HER AND JACK!

Ginny and Jack just might be the best literary couple of 2023!

All the love in the world for these two!

Annnnnd then we get into the plot...the mystery and slightly suspenseful who dunnit that will keep you turning pages almost faster than you can read! I had suspect after suspect lined up and loved questioning, and re-questioning myself at every twist and turn.

This is one of those books you would love to see turned into a movie, but then second guess because you know it will never be as good as the book and you don't want it ruined!

This is another perfect novel from Joanna Barker and another book to add to my all-time favorites list!

If you're ready to swoon, laugh, sigh, hold your breath while trying to solve a mystery this book is for you!!

Thanks to the publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Romantic Suspense, Proper Romance, Sweet Romance, Historical Mystery
Heat level: Sweet (you'll get some great kissing in this one)

There are Regency books, then there are REGENCY books. This is the latter and ahh-mazing! There's just something so great about this era for romance novels. They make me swoon and smile.

Our heroine, Ginny Wilde (who is anything but wild), is grieving from the loss of her father and running the estate solo. She has to be stubborn not to bend to society's wishes to tell her she's doing everything wrong. And because her mother was a governess, she's striven her entire life to perfectly proper. Not a hair out of place. Not an expression unschooled. Not anything that would bring her under scrutiny. Her one exception is her best friend, Bea, who is brash and says what she thinks—but Ginny will never abandon their friendship. She also has her servants to rely on and Mr. Northcott, the new magistrate. Ginny dismissed her run with bad luck, but once her father's beloved pocket watch is stolen, she must take matters into her own hands.

Jack Travers is the opposite of Ginny—brash, flirtatious, moves without a care in the world, and a thief-taker! (Oh my! How scandalous!) He's also wicked smart, matching his wicked smile. (Insert swooning now.) Jack also knows about not fitting in with society with a father who won't publicly claim him, but he no longer cares. The freedom he represents is enchanting—carefree in a world of rules and strictures concerning conduct. And so, he becomes Ginny's "cousin" to stay at the house without raising too many eyebrows while trying to find the culprit attacking her house.

I loved how each of the secondary characters had a backstory and how they fit with Ginny's life. This is such a fabulous read that will give you all the sweet romance feels.

The BANTER! It's so delightful! And the mystery adds extra zest to this romance. I loved how I was questioning whodunit from the beginning. (I will not reveal my thoughts on the matter so you can enjoy it to its fullest.) I adored learning more about thief-takers in the British legal system.

And whose heart do you think gets stolen??? You'll have to read to find the answer. This book deserves an award!

I highly recommend this book!

Put it on your TBR! Run out and buy a copy! You won't regret having this book steal your heart.

Happy reading!

Two words. JACK. TRAVERS. This man! Oh my goodness, he’s a good one! I loved all his flirty remarks and his playful personality…and of course his handsomeness.

I have loved everything of Joanna Barker’s that I have read and A Heart Worth Stealing lived up to the swooniness that is a standard in her writing.

This is a Regency Romance with a bonus mystery storyline. I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery, while not being actually scared since I’m a wimp with scary stuff. It had just the right balance of action and mystery while still giving a lot of page time and focus to the romance.

The kisses. And ALMOST kisses. Sheesh! Joanna just threw propriety out the window while still keeping it clean. Ooo the chemistry and angst were so good!

If you like Regency or Historical Romance, pick this book up! You will not regret it.

🔥:Kisses

A Proper Regency romance/mystery. Genevieve Wilde is managing her father’s estate. He was a magistrate before his death and she has been raised as a gentleman’s daughter. The morning after a small dinner she finds her father’s watch has gone missing. It has more sentimental value than monetary. When the police and new magistrate aren’t hopeful of the watch being found she decides to hire a thief-taker, or private investigator. Enter Jack Travers. He is an illegitimate son of earl who is educated, served in the military and is also a former Bow Street Runner. Of course Ginny involves herself in his investigation causing some clashes between the two. But as threats escalate they need to trust and work together.

This is a very enjoyable, well paced novel. The culprit is fairly easy to guess and I am happy with how the story wraps up. There is a little more familiarity between the two because they are not aristocracy but they try to keep the rules of the time. Also it is told entirely from Ginny’s POV. This is clean with kissing only and some peril. Suggest for any age who enjoys romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

A lovely blending of romance and mystery, with characters seeking purpose and contentment amidst big life changes. By the final chapters, I was completely in love with Genevieve and Jack and their relationship. In the beginning, they seem total opposites who could only nettle each other to distraction, but soon enough they're indispensable to each other's daily happiness. I appreciated that their love was built as much on attraction as on mutual respect, and there was nothing more swoonworthy than Jack's (eventual) deference to Genevieve's capability and judgment. The longing glances and passionate kisses come close, however.

My thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Heart Worth Stealing features a thief-taker and a mystery to solve which made it an intriguing story. Ginny and Jack are great main characters, both are strong, caring and loyal. I enjoyed everything about this fast paced proper romance.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.

I love Joanna Barker's books so much! I loved the mystery of this one! The romance between the two main characters was very well written and the chemistry was so perfect!!

This book captures you right from the start. Ginny is a modern woman in a historical era, one determined she knows best and is willing to hire a thief-taker to prove it. Even though it could be a danger to her heart. Jack is a perfectly delightful hero, even though he may pester Miss Wilde, well wild. However, the danger they may find themselves in could be worth far more than a pocket watch.

The mystery in this story is intriguing and makes you want to keep reading, up into the late hours of the night. I truly appreciate the way Joanna Barker has woven the romance and mystery together and look forward to more from her. This will be a great addition to any book lover of mystery and regency romance!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Joanna Barker for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Heart Worth Stealing coming out May 2, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sowerby, England, 1802

Miss Genevieve Wilde lives in an unusual circumstance as an independent heiress. Her late father was a magistrate who left everything to her. She is determined to meet challenges all on her own, just as her father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she vows to get it back, even though the local authorities prove incompetent.

After reading the newspaper, she contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives at her door. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable. Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.

But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is part of a larger plan against her life, she needs Jack’s help to protect her home and reputation. They enter into a risky charade with Jack as her pretend cousin. He begins his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to uncover the mystery, Ginny finds herself drawn toward her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.

Overall, I loved this book! I’ve read a few books by Joanna Barker and I love her writing style. I think some of the decisions Ginny was making near the end of the book were a little stubborn. She didn’t seem to want to listen to reason and thought her way was the only way. But besides that, I thought the characters were fun. There was definitely chemistry between Ginny and Jack. I would’ve loved to see more of the interaction with Jack’s family and Ginny. His mother being an actress was different and interesting.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sweet regency romances!

This exciting story pulled me in and kept me guessing to the end. Joanna Barker manages to write wonderfully romantic scenes, balanced by thrilling suspense, intrigue and danger. The whodunnit element was cleverly woven throughout the story and the characters were vibrant.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you Shadow Mountain Pub for the gifted ARC.

3 words to describe A Heart Worth Stealing: Clever, Chemistry, Suspense.

This book was a delight and our two main characters, Ginny and Jack, have such great chemistry and banter; I loved watching them fall for each other!

Joanna Barker is one of my go to historical romance authors, but in this book she also brings suspense and mystery, which made this one standout. But don’t worry, the *romance* still takes center stage.

This book lives up to its absurdly gorgeous cover and I highly recommend it!

4.5⭐️ rounded up.

Another fantastic novel from Joanna Barker.
I absolutely loved the banter between Jack and Ginny, the chemistry was strong and the elements of mystery gave this book unexpected depth.

I really loved the way Ginny especially was written. Often in historical fiction (especially in proper/clean novels as this is) even when a heroine is bold and independent it’s often tempered down because of the time period and conforming to society’s standards. In this book Ginny is strong minded, independent and not afraid to take action when she deemed it necessary. It was very refreshing.

My only wish was that it was dual pov because I adored Jack and would have loved to see Ginny through his eyes.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, for an honest review. All views here are completely my own

4.5/5⭐️

This was such a fun, sweet story…a great feel-good book.

Genevieve Wilde has been left a young heiress at the death of her beloved magistrate father. She is headstrong and determined that she will continue to make him proud and protect and prosper her inheritance. At the theft of his pocket watch (Ginny’s most prized possession), she hires a thief-taker (former Bow Street runner Jack Travers) to find it. But soon more sinister things begin to happen around her, and she and Jack work together to unravel the “who” and “why” of the mystery.

I had two favorite takeaways from this one…characters and writing. Ginny is such a wonderful heroine. While still grieving for her father, she steps up (at a young age) with determination and spunk to try and fill his shoes. And Jack, well Jack is so charming and engaging as a perpetual rogue and flirt. But what I loved most about him was that he never made Ginny feel invisible or ignored…he helped her but didn’t sweep in to take care of things when she wanted to handle them herself. They were such a good match. The writing was smooth and flowed easily with details and descriptions that were a pleasure to read and imagine.

Really well-done.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for providing the free early arc of A Heart Worth Stealing for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This is such a good book! I enjoyed the characters. I was swooning over Jack which was kind of a first for me. I kept stealing glances at the cover which I feel like depicts Jack and Ginny SO well! I enjoyed that there is a mystery tied into this romance.
This book follows the story of Genevieve or Ginny, an independent heiress who is to keep herself up to her expectations after inheriting the family estate. When her late father's pocket watch is stolen, Ginny decides she must solve this mystery. She is not taken very seriously by the magistrate and other officials. She decides to take this matter into her own hands. She hires a thief-taker, Jack Travers to help find answers. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome and unpredictable. Can Ginny resist this man? As more of the pieces of the puzzle are being put together they realize that there is a bigger plot against Ginny then just a stole pocket watch. Can Jack and Ginny solve the mystery before it is too late?

Read if you enjoy:
Mysteries
Enemies to lovers
Proper Romance
Strong Female Lead

I really enjoyed this novel!

Beautiful Cover and a great story! Very simple but well-done plot and characters. The storyline kept me engaged and I loved the banter between Ginny and Jack. Their relationship was sweet and hilarious. Opposites attract romance. A sweet Regency romance with elements of mystery, adventure, and a little bit of danger. WOW! The best swoony kisses scenes I've read. The only critique I would love has seeing Jack's POV and to know what he was thinking especially in regard to his feelings for Ginny.

Oh my word, this book! I couldn’t put it down. If you like sweet historical romance with a mystery twist, go read this asap.

I loved Ginny and being inside her head. I was immediately invested in the story for her sake.

Then we meet Jack 🔥🫠. Flirty and swaggering and sparking excellent banter with Ginny from their first meeting.

Great side characters! From friends, to staff, to family… I loved them all and wanted more… (formally requesting books for Beatrice & Verity 🤣🤞🏻).

The mystery and action had me on the edge of my seat. It kept me guessing who the culprit was until the end.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy. I can’t wait until everyone can get their hands on it. And now I’m off to read more Joanna Barker!

“Believe me,” Mr. Travers said, lips curving upwards, “If I was trying to kiss you, you’d know it.”

I LOVED IT!

Genevieve Wilde has just lost her father and trying to prove she can handle her estate on all on her own. She soon finds she needs the help finding her fathers stolen pocket watch.

Jack Travers is hired to help find the stolen watch. He knows exactly how to get under Ginny’s skin with his untamed humor and personality. They soon find themselves falling for one another.

I loved the mystery along side the love story. You can feel from the pages how much these characters need one another! The flirting and moments throughout the book is the perfect amount.

The first kiss scene was practically perfect in every way. 💕

I can’t get enough of Joanna Barker’s books!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Joanna Barker for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Wonderful book! I loved the cleverness, the mystery and the pacing of this book. It was fun and drew me in from the beginning. The characters of Jack and Ginny were well developed, quick witted and totally charming.
I never heard of thief-takers, Bow Street runner or a rum doxy, and I love it when I learn new things!

And the recurring quote and lesson of the story: “To be rather than to see.” Spot on!

This is only my second book by Joanne Baker and both have been wonderful, highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

This story was captivating from the very beginning. There is mystery (but not *too* much suspense) and wooing and swooning and rescuing. Joanna knows just how to craft a beautiful, meaningful romance that will leave you not only wanting more but also feeling so happy and content with the ending. Definitely give this one a read. You’ll thank me. 😉

Joanna Barker’s books has been a go to reads lately. I enjoy her well developed writing style and the characters she brings to life. This book is no different. I loved the banter between Ginny and Jack. The storyline kept me so engaged I wanted to find out who the thief was. When I did, that character was on my suspect list! Definitely worth reading. Clean too. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.