There was only one twist in the otherwise amazing nook, that I did not like, but I won't put any spoilers here. If you like reading stories about artist heist mixed with a bit of the supernatural/magic, The Frame Up is definitely a book to add to your must read list. The book came out just before Valentine's day this year, and there's definitely a love triangle in this book every bit worth untangling as much as the build up to the heist itself.

After reading the synopsis I was excited to start reading this book but it just fell short for me. There wasn’t enough chemistry and the overall plot just fell flat. I wasn’t able to get hooked into it. I ended up DNFing the book towards the end because it still was not picking up.

For some reason, I thought Gwenda Bond was a new-to-me author, but it turns out I read her novel Girl on a Wire way back in 2016. Of course, I didn't write a review so I have no idea why I rated it what I did, but after finishing The Frame-Up I think I will have to give it another go! This was a really fun heist novel with a dash of magical realism (love) and mostly loveable characters that I got a kick out of. The storyline also features Dani's dog Sunflower who stole the show if I do say so myself. I enjoyed the various array of quirky characters that show up throughout the book, and the dash of romance was just perfect.

I could probably take or leave the audiobook of The Frame-Up, and while I loved Shannon McManus's voice and overall narration, I thought a lot of her pacing was off. It felt pretty stilted most of the time and didn't flow the way I thought it should. This is only my observation though, and please don’t let that turn you off if you want to try it! I thought the humor was pretty light and though it felt like it should have been funny, it didn’t make me laugh as much as you would think it would. I also wish Bond would have focused a bit more on the magical realism aspects of the storyline as it wasn’t discussed a whole lot and felt like an afterthought as opposed to the focus I think it should have been. As a whole though, this was a very enjoyable experience and I’m really glad I got the chance to read it! I will definitely be reading this author in the future.

such a fun read! i really enjoyed all of the characters and seeing all the twists and turns this story was taken in. also really enjoyed the magical elements, something i was not expecting going into this!

I'm a fan of Gwenda Bond, and this was a fun caper, but generally not my favorite of hers. The family drama didn't work for me, and I felt like the paranormal parts could have been larger. It's such a fun and weird world, and I wanted more of that.

DNF @ 33%. Interesting concept, just not really vibing with it.

If I’m honest there’s not really much that made me care about it other than the dog lol

The Frame Up is a book that can’t decide what to be. Is it a heist story? Is it a paranormal cozy? Is it a trying-to-use-clever-banter contemporary? I never really figured it out. The characters were flat and the plot was so scattered, I couldn’t get invested. Also too much cursing for my taste.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was so excited to get my hands on this galley. And it did not disappoint at all.

I loved this book so much. It had such a fun mix of magic and real life. And who doesn't love a good hiest story? haha.

I liked Dani. She was interesting and her relationship with her mom and her moms old team was different. It made for a very interesting plot.

And I really enjoyed seeing all the twists and turns the story made and who could be trusted or not.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Dorian Gray but make it the villainous subplot of an easy-read cozy thriller. The romance and magic system is painfully underdeveloped. This book with its whole chest has a character say nice guys finish last.

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading:
Legally required to read this book because my son is on the cover. (Sam has a border collie for those not up on the lore.)

Thick of it:
Girlypop, you’re bringing an Xacto knife to a gunfight?
Omg, that’s literally what I just said. Haha.

This book is written so weirdly. The voice is odd. It’s Kindle Unlimited-y. It’s this sense of I am writing a capital B Book.

It reminds me of that Mr. & Mrs. Witch book. (Well no shit because it’s by the same author.)

It’s very stilted and bad dialogue.

Oh, so he was definitely poisoned. (No but it was murder.)

Do I smell a love triangle? (Obviously.)

Is it some Dorian Gray situation? Was he trying to become immortal? (Nailed it.)

If you have mind control powers, how would you not have tested them out on your daughter earlier? Like wouldn’t you mind control her to potty train in a day?

Why are we just throwing rape in here?

Have they tried an SSRI against him? Sorry. I’m being a bitch.

What is this ridiculous dog thing we’re doing? This is so stupid. (She had dumb animals in her other book, so I guess it’s just a hallmark of her writing.)

It just reads like a cozy mystery. It’s so aggressively fine and it’s bordering on bad.

I have been trying to read this book all day, and the audiobook keeps putting me to sleep. No shade to the narrator because she’s really doing all she can with this book. It’s just so mellow.

But like couldn’t she just not steal the painting for him? Isn’t that an option?

If the gala is a masquerade I’m quitting. (Well, this isn’t a YA, but it certainly reads like one.)

How would she not be fired if she's letting thieves in and taking them on unarmed?

OK, even reading this book is putting me to sleep. I don’t know why. It’s so nothing and fine. (I was three espressos deep at work reading this and still nodding off.)

Hate the it’s not mental illness or emotional abuse, it’s just magic trope.

There’s so much telling instead of showing in this book.

So many cheesy lines and villain monologuing.

This romance sucks.

A swanky art gala/ the DJ playing “Happy”

Lyras

Is Rabbit breaking her mom out? (Nailed it.)

So if your mom is obviously at your house, why would you tell them to take the painting to your house if you’re trying to keep the painting away from her?

Lol, I will be the first to say that Border Collies are exceptional dogs, but this is fucking bullshit.

How does girlypop still not carry a single weapon?

Literally why would the villains wait for her to arrive? Just free him from the painting now. This is so stupid.

Why are we even monologuing? Do you know how fast canvas burns? You can burn the painting faster than he can choke your boyfriend.

NOT THE NICE GUYS FINISH LAST

Post-reading:
This is an aggressively fine cozy that is probably perfectly acceptable to some readers, but it’s so goddamn dumb that I’m giving it one star.

Every single character is underdeveloped. Magic exists just for vibes and without a shred of logic to it. We throw rape in because that’s the only way for a woman to have a #TragicBackstory and justify murder. One of the love interests genuinely says nice guys finish last. There’s a love triangle in this adult novel that is an absolute joke. It reads like a YA. The dog lover bits are cringe.

Which if you put all that aside because that’s almost hallmark of the cozy genre, you’d still have a book where the characters’ motivations and the plot make absolutely no sense. Girlypop is like I want to free my mom from this bad man’s influence. Her mom is in jail. She’s not being influenced. Archer is like steal this painting for me. I can’t touch it. Girlypop is like oh no I don’t know how to keep this painting away from Archer. Just like don’t steal it? I mean, we wouldn’t have a book, but also, he wouldn’t have the painting. Girlypop is like oh my god, I have to keep the real painting away from my mom and Archer. Also girlypop-sends the real painting directly to her house where she knows her mom and Archer are. Archer- I can be free from this painting as soon as her mom’s blood touches it. Also Archer- waits for girlypop and the entire rest of her crew to arrive before bleeding on it. Archer- I can feel the difference between a forged painting and the real one because of magic. Also Archer- can’t tell that it’s not the real painting while he waits around for girlypop. Archer- do what I say or I’ll choke your boyfriend. Burning a painting is a lot quicker than oxygen deprivation. Girlypop- I only need to burn the painting to kill Archer. Also girlypop-burns down her entire house. Girlypop- I set up this elaborate display to burn the painting down for dramatic effect. Also girlypop- didn’t think to put a fire extinguisher or like a bucket of water or a bottle of fucking Dasani. Just like make it make sense.

It’s just such an empty, nothing read. Do not waste your time.

Who should read this:
Cozy thriller fans

Do I want to reread this:
No

Similar books:
* Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs-the family business is magic books, found family, ensemble cast, magical realism, family drama
* Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis-the family business Is theft, but make It a YA competition with a romantic subplot, mommy issues
* Mr. And Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond-(The whole time I read this book being like wow, this is the same book. Like no shit, Samantha. It’s the same author.) magical realism, family drama, underdeveloped romance and magic system
* Starling House by Alix E. Harrow-the family business is demon slaying, magical realism, gothic fairytale retelling, family drama, romantic subplot
* The Unmaking of June Farrow-the family business is gaslighting and time travel, magical realism, family drama, romantic subplot
* If I Have to be Haunted by Miranda Sun-the family business is ghosts, magical realism, family drama, YA romance
* You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti-cozy crime thriller, small town, family drama, romantic subplot

When I saw this billed as a magical heist romance, I was very intrigued. I love heist stories, especially when there is some sort of romance involved. The heist played a big part of the story (it was, in fact, the main plot), and there were certainly magical elements woven throughout, but I wouldn't call it a romance in the traditional sense. There were not a lot of the markers of a romance, and none of the plot conventions. As soon as I realized it wasn't a romance, I reset my expectations and started to read the book through a different lens.

I did enjoy Dani's backstory, and that she was back in her hometown and had to re-find her place among old found family relationships. Her history with her mother also added depth to the character.

This book was good, but I do think it was marketed wrong. It's a fun magical heist story, with well-thought-out characters, but it's not a romance, so if that's what you go in expecting, you'll be disappointed. I'll definitely recommend it to customers, but my rec will come with a disclaimer. Overall, the book was enjoyable, and I do think we need more heist stories, and magical heists especially are a huge plus.

The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond is a paranormal heist novel set in contemporary Kentucky. Danielle Poissant is the daughter of a renowned art thief whom she helped send to prison, which led to her being shut out of the world of criminals with magic in which she’d grown up. Wracked by guilt at betraying her family (it’s complicated), ever since then she’s been working as a sort of one-person-and one-dog “Leverage” team, retrieving funds from scummy people and splitting them with the original victim – while not using her magical gift for forging paintings. But then, of course, she’s dragged back into the world for One Last Time by an old partner of her mother’s. The romance element is minor, but I felt like there was just enough to spice up the heist plot. This was a lot of fun, and dog fans will love Dani’s collie Sunflower, who is a Very Good Girl.

The Frame-Up sounded so interesting and I had such high hopes for it. Unfortunately, I ultimately found it a lot less exciting than I had expected. The plot and writing style did not feel as eventful or exciting as the premise had made me originally think. I think this read was just not for me, so I hope others are able to still enjoy!

The Frame-Up
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Gwenda Bond

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Dani Poissant is the daughter and former accomplice of the world's most famous art thief, as well as being an expert forger in her own right. The secret to their success? A little thing called magic, kept rigorously secret from the non-magical world. Dani’s mother possesses the power of persuasion, able to bend people to her will, whereas Dani has the ability to make any forgery she undertakes feel like the genuine article.

At seventeen, concerned about the corrupting influence of her mother’s shadowy partner, Archer, Dani impulsively sold her mother out to the FBI—an act she has always regretted. Ten years later, Archer seeks her out, asking her to steal a particular painting for him, since her mother's still in jail. In return, he will reconcile her with her mother and reunite her with her mother’s old gang—including her former best friend, Mia, and Elliott, the love of her life.

The problem is, it’s a nearly impossible job—even with the magical talents of the people she once considered family backing her up. The painting is in the never-before-viewed private collection of deceased billionaire William Hackworth—otherwise known as the Fortress of Art. It’s a job that needs a year to plan, and Dani has just over one week. Worse, she’s not exactly gotten a warm welcome from her former colleagues—especially not from Elliott, who has grown from a weedy teen to a smoking-hot adult. And then there is the biggest puzzle of why Archer wants her to steal a portrait of himself, which clearly dates from the 1890s, instead of the much more valuable works by Vermeer or Rothko. Who is her mother’s partner, really, and what does he want?

The more Dani learns, the more she understands she may be in way over her head—and that there is far more at stake in this job than she ever realized.

My Thoughts: This is a multi-genre book. It has a bit of romance (more back burner type/sub-plot), a little mystery, and a little fantasy. The premise was unique and the cover was breathtaking, I really had high hopes for this story but it fell a little short in execution. I think we could have developed the characters more and more on the heist. The world building was lacking, there is a whole world of magical realism that this could have gone into. The world building could have not been done and the focus on art thieves could have really been explored. Art heists is a lucrative writing journey and I was really wanting more out of this. However, I will still read Bond’s future books as she is a great writer that I usually enjoy.

The story was narrated by Dani, from her perspective. I believe the star of the show was sunflower, Dani’s dog. Super smart, beautifully described, and more of a guardian angel than a dog. It was also easy to connect to Dani, you could feel for what she has been through, even though she is a 100% grifter. There also pop culture references sprinkled throughout the story, which I loved. Then we have the supporting characters of Curator, Elliot, Mia, and Rabbit. I did not feel the connection between Elliot and Dani, anymore than I did between Dani and seller (I listened to this book a little while back and just behind on my reviews and cannot remember his name). I felt like the romance was the sub-sub-plot and the mystery was the sub-plot. The story had potential and I think we could keep the page count the same and just developed the characters a little more.

I know that a lot of reviewers/readers DNF at various parts of the book. I finished this book, I had a hard time with the digital book so I borrowed the audiobook from the library and was able to get through that relatively quickly. Not a bad book, I enjoyed reading it. I just think it could have been more. I think if you go in knowing that is a mix-genre book, it would be a good lighthearted palette cleanser.

I really wanted to like this book. But it doesn't know what it wants to be. The jacket art is incredibly misleading--the plot and characters are way darker than the cheerful cartoons portrayed. It was trying to be way too many things, and didn't do any of them well. Not one character was sympathetic, and the plot plodded along incredibly slowly.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Random House Publishing for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Dual POV, criminals, family drama

I like this one. I think that the premise was really interesting, but it just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. There were great parts, and there were very dull parts. Those outweighed the good.

"The Frame-Up" by Gwenda Bond presents an intriguing premise marred by disappointing execution. The writing is often simplistic and clunky, relying too much on telling rather than showing, and it lacks depth and nuance. The author frequently explains the obvious, even dissecting simple jokes, which disrupts the flow of the narrative. I found it hard to like or connect with any of the characters, except for the cute sidekick dog. The dialogue feels forced and awkward, reminiscent of Stephen King's style. The heist itself was fun to read, but at that point I had already trudged through more than 75% of the book with a lot of boring buildup, making the eventual execution less satisfying.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book.
I read it over a few days, and couldn't wait till I got free time to read it more.

Heist novels can be a lot of fun when done right. Add in a romance and a bit of magic, and I had high hopes for this novel. Unfortunately, there was a lack of chemistry between the characters and an issue connecting with Dani as our MC that made this a quick by difficult to finish novel.

Dani Poissant is a con artist, hired to help others or run her own jobs as a means of survival. Having been part of her mother's crew years before, until one day, she was convinced to turn on her mother, Dani has been working alone to make ends meet. She's approached one day by someone from her past, offering her a way back in to her crew and to get back on her mother's good side by stealing a painting from an estate. Will she be able to successfully pull this job off while working with people who lost their trust in her?

While the concept of this book is exciting, there's an element of magic that gets poorly sprinkled in. Magical powers are referenced a lot thru the book but they aren't well written out or even explained. Are they people with magical powers or do they just have the gift of con artists?

Thank you to Netgally and the Publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

This book should have been a slam dunk for me. I love heist stories, and I’m always looking for new ones.

I wasn’t expecting a magical element to the story which wasn’t really necessary. I think I would have liked it a lot more if it had just been ordinary people doing an ordinary heist. There was also a completely unnecessary love triangle (ugh, aren’t we over those?) and I wasn’t happy with the guy the MC chose, so that didn’t help me like the story more either.

The characters were all quite flat and I had a hard time relating to them, or even liking them. I couldn’t stand Elliott or Rabbit, Dani (the main character) was clueless, and it’s really sad when the best character is Sunflower the dog (who was the only character I really liked).

I found the whole thing very obvious as well, especially about Archer.