Member Reviews
I enjoyed this so much! A very lovable thieving heroine and an even more lovable chisel jawed hero. With plenty of historical detail to relish, and a happy ending for all concerned, I have to recommend this for people who like to sit up all night and read a book in one sitting...
This one isn't for me. I noted the theme and it brought to mind My Fair Lady or Pretty Woman but it just wasn't. I'd expected a lot more time to be spent on the plot, making use of the thief's skills and a lot less explicit action in the bedroom. It felt unnecessary. I even found the wrap up quite twee!
I'm sure that others will enjoy the essence of this story being more about the romantic/sexual relationship.
With thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
If I were to choose my favorite micro genre, it would be historical fiction featuring pickpockets and other low-level criminals who have to insinuate themselves among the higher classes: "Fingersmith," Sir Terry's "Dodger," "Artful" (the Artful Dodger with vampires), that sort of thing. So of course I glommed onto "The Lady Thief of Belgravia," in which a pickpocket in Victorian London is hired to charm, and steal valuable papers from, a corrupt noble. So far, so good. That said, this is a traditional romance novel, so the plot is somewhat underdeveloped at the expense of pages of racing hearts and spent seed, along with reminders (so many reminders) that our heroine has built up near-impenetrable walls to prevent being hurt and that our hero loves his career too much to give it up for the love of a common thief. If you like that sort of thing, you'll enjoy this. If, like me, you enjoy reading about the details of the art of pickpocketing, the difficulties initiating the upper classes (which of course provide no difficulty for our intrepid heroine), and a few surprises along the way, this probably isn't for you.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was more of a romance than a heist. I am notoriously hard to please with romance so in many ways this just wasn't for me. It was engaging enough while I was reading it but then I'd put it down for days at a time. Generally that happens when I stray into reading a genre that I don't love and hit an example thereof which is the rule rather than the exception. I don't think this is a bad book - it seemed fun. I'm just not the right reader,
This was a fun and quick read. I was expecting more heists or spying, but still a cute story
Very much in the romance camp more than the heist world, The Lady Thief of Belgravia follows the pickpocket Della Rose as she's admitted into the world of the uppercrust via spy and lord Cole Winthrop. With hints of Pygmalion (My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman, etc), they go through the motions of making her into a ton debutante. There were some repetitive portions, but I enjoyed the characters and supporting cast. If recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet historical romance with a side story of intrigue
4.5 stars! This was such a stellar debut and I have a blast reading it. The plot was so unique and really thought out and the characters were so well developed.
Della Rose, oh what a character! I adored Della so much she was so witty and unapologetically herself, I loved going through her journey of trust with Cole, it felt so real and relatable. Cole Winthrop LADIES & GENTS this man had me blushing!! He was kind and his love for Della made my heart ache.
This book had such a beautiful romance (and some 10/10 spicy scenes) but I loved the mystery elements as well as the mission Della Rose was doing.
So if you like:
🌹witty characters (and side characters)
🌹badass fmc & a swoon worthy mmc
🌹thieves and spies
🌹mystery and suspense
🌹historical romance
Add this to you TBR!
“I shall consider myself lucky every day that you grace me with your presence – the thief who stole my heart.”
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for providing this ARC for my honest opinion
This book is a captivating journey through the depths of imagination. Its rich storytelling and well-developed characters kept me engaged from start to finish. With its thought-provoking themes, it transcends genres and offers something for every reader. A must-read for anyone seeking a literary adventure.
“The Lady Thief of Belgravia” is a regency story similar to “Pretty Woman.” Except in this tale - she is a poor, pickpocket thief, and he is a gentleman who happens to need something stolen. She must learn the ways of being a lady and pose as the gentleman’s relative in order to complete the theft. The story is cute, yet the pacing felt slow to me. The romance came together quickly, which I didn’t connect with, but it did help add intrigue throughout the plot. Based on the description, I expected this book to have more heist and action in the storyline. If you read this book with the understanding that it is a regency romance, then you may enjoy it more than I personally did.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Della Rose is a pickpocket from Seven Dials, and arguably the most skilled, which is exactly what Cole needs in his mission to recover some important stolen documents. This pair are from different worlds, but for them it’s certainly a case of opposites attract. As they spend more time with each other whilst Della is trained in how to be a high society lady, their walls begin to crumble and something sparks between them. I really liked the concept of this book and thought Della’s character was bold and clever, but Cole didn’t have a big personality of his own and I didn’t feel any chemistry between the pair which meant I skipped the majority of the spicy scenes and wasn’t invested in them as a couple. I also wasn’t convinced of any emotional connection, though it was great to see them spending time together and having conversations but for me, I couldn’t connect to them or truly feel their relationship so I was more interested in the role Della had in retrieving the documents and her creative pickpocketing.
I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.
I will start by saying that from the title of the book and the description I was expecting something quite different: as the lady lead is a thief and there is a mission to be completed, I supposed to get more action. Well, we get a lot of action but it is of the bedroom variety.
The first third of the book proceeds a bit slowly, but the story is well written and the characters well defined.
All in all, I guess this book is more for readers looking for romance than people looking for some thieving action.
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.