Heist novels are usually my favorite, but I realized something about the action-adventure genre when reading this book. Character development and having an established reason why is important to the story. This plot felt like the author kept adding one more thing, which I think is because they're establishing a base for a series, but doing it for me. I really liked the idea of two badass women taking on the patriarchy and I'd like to see more of the outfit and less of the accessories.

This book was so much fun! I love books about female friendships, especially when they're bonded by a life of crime. It's unconventional and niche, I know, but it's such a great and underrated trope! This book was clever, funny, and such a great summer read. I love a 'girls' girl' book about friendship, fun, and theft.

Emma and Nellie reinvented themselves five years ago and became con artists, but the rules are they only swindle men who deserve it (they sexual harass women or con the poor, for example). They are the best in the business at swiping jewelry and selling it on the dark web. Their aptitude brings them to the attention of a man who wants to bribe them into stealing a priceless bracelet from a high-security event—not their MO.

I thought this was fun, but while they were constantly being visually surveilled by the Bad Man, they weren’t auditorily surveilled, something I would have done if I were in the business of kidnapping and high-stakes heists (I watch movies and thus am clearly an expert in this area).

I enjoyed Emma and Nellie and the little girl they meet along the way.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES JULY 9, 2024.

I read about 40% of this book and was unfortunately bored. I didn't connect with the characters and I found the story line to be a bit confusing.

The Confidence Games by Tess Amy is a fun standalone novel about two best friends who are con artists. We meet Emma Oxley and Nellie Yarrow, who have been best friends forever. When Emma lost her job, as well as her fiancée, she is despondent, but when Nellie shows up, everything is about to change.

They reinvent themselves, changing their names, and cleaning digital prints, with them becoming very successful con artists over a 5-year period; making a name for themselves in the European Black Market. They develop many cons travelling the world, to swindle men, operating under fake personas, stealing valuable things and reselling to them to highest bidders. I really loved their wonderful inspiring friendship and how successful they were.

But when Nellie is kidnapped, Emma is forced make a plan on stealing a very expensive bracelet (worth millions), The Heart of Envy from a London high-security exhibit. The difficulty of the heist, is because of so much high-tech security, as well as people all over. Nellie is released to help Emma steal the bracelet, with death threats holding against them; they have to race against time to save their own lives. Dax is a member of their team, being a tech and hacking expert. Sophia was a young girl, who was locked up, as Nellie and Emma helped keep the girl save with Dax. As the day arrives, and plans are put into place, they discover surprising reveals and a family that stays together to fight the battle. To say too much more would ruin it for you, and the last quarter of the books was very exciting.

I have to say I actually loved this book, as it was so much fun and very enjoyable. I loved both Emma and Nellie, as well as Dax and Sophia. The Confidence Games was very well written by Tess Amy, whom I have never read before but I will check out her next book. The Confidence Games was a fun, delightful, action-filled, suspenseful, exciting story, with wonderful characters, and an amazing heist. I suggest you read this book, as it was so much fun.

3.5 ⭐️

Two con artist best friends are about to take on their biggest heist yet….

This was a very fast paced, action packed read. I always enjoy a fun heist story and while this one has its moments I did at times feel a little bored but then the story would pick back up! This one has great themes of friendship and found family. A curious ending… I loved the descriptions of the setting at the end and it almost seems like a setup for a book 2 or I could be way off.

Thank you Berkley
Releases 7/9

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thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

i definitely came into this with higher expectations. i love a good con-woman/swindler story and a premise of two best friends blackmailed into executing a heist was right up my alley. but unfortunately, this turned out to be more of a manhunt and a a cat and mouse chase than an actual heist. it also, wasn't written well - i found that the over explanations of telling rather than showing to be repetitive and made me skim a few parts. there was also a kidnapping and the child seemed totally find just being passed around from stranger to stranger??? the characters all just seemed one dimensional and boring. absolutely no substance to any of them.

i also found the plot twist way to complicated and convoluted to the point that it didn't even shock me. i was just like...really? that's what we were all here for? and the ending was way too happy lol.

This was very well written and I liked that the whole time I didn’t wanna put it down and I was rooting actually for the con artist. It was a fresh take on classic plot.

Entertaining from the first page, The Confidence Games is a must read.

I devoured this from the first page and I can't wait for more from Tess Amy!! Full of hijinx and high-rolling lifestyles this book was gripping and gorgeously written.

Fun novel about a pair of good hearted thieves. After one is kidnapped, they are forced into completing an impossible jewel heist.

I just loved reading this book! The synopsis sounded really good, and reading the book, yeah, it was thrilling and it was such a great adventure! I'm so glad that I read it, it was such a delight, watching all these plots and schemes going on with these heists!

Emma and Nellie are best friends who, after Emma had a bad breakup, get into the business of swindling men who deserve it, and boy do they deserve it! I mean, technically not, but really, they were asshole human beings, so why not?

Of course things go wrong and they end up put into a situation where they're not in control, and I loved seeing everything play out! There was a lot of clever moments, and a lot of tense moments, and it really kept the momentum of the plot going!

Yeah, that ending was pretty epic! I love how it all came together, and how they dealt with with things. I was really happy to see all of them together, this little unit, which was really sweet, and as such a wonderful and delightful ending!

This was such an enjoyable read and I can't wait to read more by Tess Amy!

Haven't read a book in a day in ages. Couple hours on a train and an excellent storyline about con jobs and found families will do it!

Leverage or not Leverage, that was my question when I read this book. I started the book with very clear expectations based on the back cover blurb. The book sounded like it could be like Leverage and Leverage Redemption, my favorite shows. That fact that these 2 ladies on went after those who deserved it was even more reason to believe it would like my show. Perhaps, that was unfair, but we are all shaped by our experiences. With that said, this book had some Leverage like moments, and I clapped to myself every time one of the ladies referenced the term.
As I was drawing parallels all along to my favorite show, I wanted to like it. It was interesting and I did keep reading but occasionally felt we got a little weighed down by all the flashbacks. Some were relevant like the two stories of how Emma and Nellie came to be where they were, but others were just a little too much. Nellie and Emma both rose from the ashes of a shattered life and built something new, it may have been illegal, but as I said above, we are all shaped by our experiences. The author did a nice job of showing the pain and difficulty they both Nelie and Emma, especially Nellie, suffered through.
The heist, while the heart of the story, shared the stage in my opinion with the one truly good thing that came out of it all. Nellie and Emma with Dax and Sophie built a family. And in another tie back to Leverage, they created their own thing in CodeRed. Their catch phrase became something more and with it a twist I did not see coming. The twist was necessary for the next book.
The author has a team of characters to build on for future stories and since this story got better when we got to the last third, I think better things are ahead. For now, we get 3 stars because we have not yet eclipsed 4 but let’s see what happens next. With a strong team or family and the Game fully established, the next book should allow us to make the jump to the 4th star. Overall, it is worth reading. Don’t give up when things get bogged down,
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Emma and Nellie have built a life for themselves. After wiping their old digit footprint clean, they've become Robin Hood like crusaders. Taking from those who don't need riches, to keep themselves afloat. When someone catches on to their tricks, everything will change. Emma will have to adapt her ways to save herself and Nellie from a bullet through the head. This guy means business, he wants the big heist. The two women will have to pull off the ultimate heist to make it out alive.

Emma and Nellie are immediately fun characters to follow. They lean on each other, ultimate girl power. However, this felt very predictable. I could see the twists coming, still a quick and fun read. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

Who doesn't love a good heist? I love them and I love female con artists more! It's the romance of it all...and Tess Amy builds a perfect story complete with lavish riches and robin hoodesque tale.

Emma and Nellie have only had each other for many years and they have made it count as they developed multiple cons to swindle men that have done things to deserve it. Life is good, until Nellie is kidnapped and Emma is tasked with the con of a lifetime in order to free her!

Join Emma as she ascends into the Confidence Game of her life as she tries her hand at stealing a priceless article in broadday light.
You will hold your breath and cheer for the cons! It's a delightful story and I only hope to read more from Tess Amy!
#berkley #theconfidencegames #tessamy

After the devastating loss of everything in Emma's world: her parents (who don't really count because they have always been disengaged and disinterested), her job and her fiancée, she turns to the only friend she has ever really known: Nellie. Nellie and Emma go way back, and under the tutelage of a de facto grandmother, the friends became experts in con games. The most recent involvement has strings attached, and an attempt is being made to blow the girls' racket wide open. They must race against time to pull off the biggest heist yet to save lives and their freedom.

I loved this book! Full of action and suspense, plus the twists and turns of a con game which keep the reader wondering who the real con artist is and who is really being conned. I wouldn't classify this as a cozy mystery, but it does not have graphic violence, language or sex scenes. I am disappointed in the cover art, which I did not find appealing. I'm very glad I was in a browsing mood, and took the time to read the content description because this is one I am truly hoping will turn into a series. This is a good choice for readers who enjoy Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series, or the Oceans (11, 12, 13+) movies.

When life knocks Emma down, her life-long friend Nellie is there to pick up the pieces. They decide to take life by the horns and make their own karma, creating an underground high-end stolen goods market on the dark web. But when Nellie is kidnapped, it's up to Emma to act and make the biggest heist of their careers to pay the ransom. What follows is a suspenseful, character-driven twist of a mystery, but in the end do the two best friends have what it takes to make the biggest swindle of all?

This was a quick and fun read through a high-action plot. While a little suspension of belief is necessary to think they could really pull this off, it's still a good mix of reality and thrill. This would be a good recommendation for fans of the Finlay Donovan series or Ocean's 11 movies.

3.5 stars - would have liked it to be a little longer and a little more detailed with the character relationships.

What's not to like about two bad-ass women taking on the bad guys. Had enough action to keep me reading. Would have been nice to "see the two in action" rather than references to their escapades. An enjoyable read.

I feel really bad about this because after I read the book blurb I was so excited for this heist novel with two badass con women but I found this book highly boring and predictable. I'm going to keep this short because I have nothing nice to say here and I DNF'd this book at about 20%.

This was a really enjoyable, quick read.

The characters were likable and the relatable even though they were “criminals”. I say that because they had strong moral compasses even when it came to the heist they were running with guns to their heads.