When I first read about Jewel Me Twice, I was immediately hooked. A rom com? And a heist? I’m in! I love rom coms and I will watch almost every single heist movie out there. It was no wonder I was so looking forward to Charish Reid’s latest novel. Unfortunately…it let me down. I was bored - which is not something you should be when you’re reading about jewellery thieves!

Here’s the book’s description:

Love can catch you red-handed.

He was her partner—both in crime and between the sheets. It’s been five years since professional thief Celeste St. Pierre laid eyes on Magnus Larsson. These days, she runs a Manhattan antique store, but her talent for stealing beautiful, shiny things hasn’t faded. And as a chance reunion over a locked safe proves, neither has the heat between her and the gorgeous, ice-cool Magnus.

For Magnus, only one thing beats the thrill of getting away with robbery—and that’s the woman he’s tried hard to forget. Their last job together ended in disaster. But if they’re going to honor their mentor’s last wishes to pull off the theft of the century, they’ll have to temporarily put their grudges behind them.

Crisscrossing Europe on a real-life treasure hunt, Celeste and Magnus quickly rediscover how well they work together. The higher the stakes, the hotter the sexual tension. But one slipup and it won’t be only jewels on the line, but a future that, just maybe, has been the ultimate prize all along…

I felt a lot like Bea, Celeste’s current work partner and protege, when she told Magnus, “I just don’t see it.” “It” being a healthy relationship that made sense between Celeste and Magnus. I didn’t get it either. I just felt like I was missing something between the two of them that made me want to care if they ended up together or not.

I also felt like I was missing something with the whole story and the history between all of the characters. Granted, I started skimming at about the halfway mark because there wasn’t enough happening nor was I getting enough information. Maybe some of that information was hiding in the latter part of the book but, by then, I kinda stopped caring. I almost DNF-ed this one but I really wanted to see how the final heist played out. (Sadly, I felt disappointed in it.)

I did like the found family aspect of the story (even if the found family still had their issues just like blood family does) and I really appreciated that Celeste and Magnus were in their early forties. I had just been talking to someone at work who struggled with a romance novel recently, in part, because of the main characters’ ages. I like that we’re seeing more romances with older characters and hope to find more in the future.

This should have been a great book. But neither the romance nor the heist were executed to the level I expected so Jewel Me Twice just couldn’t thrill me. I think Charish Reid is talented - I’ve read and enjoyed another of her books - and I’ll seek out another of her books in the future, but I was just a little let down by this one. Onto the next!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HTP Books, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Wow. Wow. Wow.

I'm honestly struggling to form words. I wish I could bottle this book up and drink it whenever I'm sad. I want to force all my friends to read this book. I want MORE from this series and author!!!

I loved everything about this book. Celeste and Magnus... their relationship is so complex and emotional. I appreciated that even though this book is *technically* a second chance romance, their backstory is lightly discussed aside from where they went wrong. Celeste and Magnus are so seductive whenever they're together, even beyond a sexual meaning they're so alluring. Any scene with Celeste and Magnus doing literally anything? I'm hooked and reading for the next hour.

The found family dynamics in this book were amazing. I love the journal entries and watching the group (but especially Celeste) grief for Doris. The thievery in this book was just realistic enough to be believable, but just unrealistic enough for it to be fun to read. It felt like I was watching Oceans 8.

The only thing I would change about this book is for it to be longer, maybe another trip for a clue would have been nice.

Beatrice and Santiago, oh I absolutely need more of them.

Find this review on StoryGraph @kathigh86 and on Instagram @katkatreads!

Great for fans of Ocean’s Eleven, Jewel Me Twice brings the heist aspects and group dynamics of the film series, with a touch of the puzzles and clues aspects of The Inheritance Games, plus a heavy dose of sizzling hot chemistry.

Years after their last job together, Celeste St. Pierre and Magnus Larsson meet again when they both go after the same score. It could have been as simple as encountering each other that one time and then drifting their separate ways, but their late mentor had other plans.

Before her death, she set events in motion to bring the team together again to pull off a major heist in her memory (and to encourage them to all reconnect).

Read it for
- The 🔥🔥🔥tension and love scenes
- The thrill of the heist
- The adventure of criss-crossing Europe
- The found family
- The tenderness and vulnerability between Celeste and Magnus when they open up to each other
- The chance to get things right the second time around
- The push-pull of opposites attract
- The found family aspects of the team
- Two super-smart, extremely hot, successful MCs in their 40s

I received an advance copy of the book from Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press. All review opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book when it came down to the action parts. This book had me at heists and I was all for it. The only thing I wasn't vibing with was the spice, but that has always been hit or miss for me. Some days I cannot get enough and other's I'm like turn those pages until the action picks back up. I think this book I just really wanted to continue living through the action.

This was such a fun read! I really liked the characters, I liked how the couple were both older and had more life experience. I enjoyed watching both of them navigate a second chance at a relationship. I also enjoyed the hest elements, it was super fun to imagine.

Loved this book. It made me laugh, teary eyed and more. I loved the 2nd chance trope in books so much.

This book was so fun and fast paced!! I love a good heist and Charish’s swoony romances. A perfect balance of humor and action and lovey dovey stuff.

This was a fun read. After the death of their mentor, the old team must come together for the heist of all heists.
The thrill of possibly being caught.
This was an action packed treasure hunt.

After five years of not seeing her, Magnus had to know what trouble she was up to.

It's been five years since Magnus walked away not only from their crew but from Celeste. Now, an antiques store owner by day, but not able to give up the thrill of thieving, Celeste works with Bea, a young woman she's befriended and trained. When a job has Celeste running into Magnus, and the death of their mentor, Dr. Doris Grant, has them working together again, the heat reignites between them. As they go on a stealing treasure hunt that Doris set-up for after her death, they'll have a second chance to decide what's really important and what they want out of life.

And rather than see the woman he cared for jeopardize her life again, he left them all behind.

Jewel Me Twice started off with a little bit of movie True Lies and Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes that instantly captured my attention. The danger and heat simmering when Celeste and Magnus run into each other for the first time in five years while on a job, was definitely felt. The tension continued when they get delivered a red envelope alerting them that their mentor and the one who recruited them into her crew of thieves, has passed on but wants the old crew to get together at her home, where she'll send them on one last treasure hunt. It was, oddly, when the treasure hunt began that I thought the flow lost some of it's way. Celeste gets left Doris' diary and we get sections of what she had wrote. It becomes obvious that Doris feels some responsibility for how everything went down after a job failed that caused Magnus and Celeste to split. Doris sending them on the treasure hunt is her way of getting them back together and giving them their second chance to get things right.

Did they truly know each other? Beyond the intimacy they shared?

Celeste and Magnus were older characters, forties, that were more set in their ways. There was some towards the end realizing how each was at fault for how things ended but Celeste's chip on her shoulder was a bit too real for most of the book for me. Her attitude towards Magnus fooled me even as the reader and I started to feel that she did only want Magnus for bedroom scenes and didn't have or want that deeper emotional connection with him. Some of her antagonism is from Magnus growing up rich, even though his parents died in a car crash when he was young, and knows he didn't start his thieving career from necessity, like her. There's also friction from Magnus not liking how Celeste takes chances and Celeste thinking he's too controlling on jobs. They have some working out about these feelings but I still felt the bulk of their relationship was bedroom scenes that, albeit, read on page hot but not emotionally grabbing and giving the depth I like and have me believing and connecting with their relationship.

Along with Bea, there were two other secondary characters from their old crew, Lawrence and Santiago that brought some outer world rounding out; Bea and Santiago very much feel like they could be set-up for their own book. While they travel to Estonia and Sweden, we don't really spend a significant time there to really feel the settings and they were pretty efficient at their jobs, so, except for the last one, the heists felt more like a blip (since I'm personally obsessed with them, I have to mention, Fabergé egg bonus moment!). The last job brought in a princess and Interpol agent with some tangents that I felt didn't quite fit. I thought this started off strong but there was some not fitting quite right pieces, the riddles, treasure hunt, emotional connections, diary entries, that ultimately hurt the flow for me.

I really enjoyed this book! I've read books by Cherish Reid and cant wait to read more of her work. While I was reading, I didn't know what was coming next. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review!

Super fun and steamy heist novel. Celeste and Magnus have a history of working together as jewel thieves, plus a little friends with benefits thing on the side. Until one of the heists goes wrong and the team breaks up and they don’t talk to each other for five years. When their team leader and mentor passes away, she sets up a series of clues and wrangles the team back together for one more big score. We get to read a steamy, flirty, action-packed adventure. Loved it.

Such a fun book.

It’s centered around the main characters Celeste and Magnus who are currently at odds. They’re part of a former team of thieves that worked under their beloved mentor. They’re no longer close, but it’s clear from the start that they have intense chemistry. Even though they have gone their separate ways, that spark reignites immediately upon seeing each other again. When their mentor dies, she leads them back to each other through an elaborate wild goose chase for the ultimate prize.

This was a new to me author but I’m glad I took the chance. Jewel Me Twice was such a fun ride. I was eating up the action in this book. It played out just like a movie. The plot line was like a scavenger hunt, leading our thieves across the globe. I had so much fun trying to understand the clues. It was well written, and so easy to envision the way these plans all go down. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they’d get caught. It was so easy to get swept up in this exciting world.

Watching Celeste and Magnus achieve their second chance was so entertaining. It’s so clear they still have feelings for each other despite what tore them apart. Although Celeste tries to deny her feelings, Magnus convinces her that they are worth it. The banter between the characters was extremely fun, and the heat between them was explosive.

Along with Celeste and Magnus, comes an assortment of equally interesting crew members. I enjoyed watching the group’s dynamic. It was giving found family for sure! They’re tight knit, and oh so fun together. If you love a book that’s funny, action packed, and a little bit steamy you’ll enjoy this one

I absolutely adored this book. This was something so new and refreshing for me in that I have never read a storyline like this before. (Yes, it was my first heist book!)

This is a second chance romance following two thieves, Celeste and Magnus. When a member of their old crew suddenly passes away, they are forced to work together for the first time in years on a whirlwind, final heist in honor of her.

I loved the heist aspect of the book, but I also enjoyed that it was in a fun and lighthearted setting. Celeste is a suchhhhhh bada** and Magnus is perfect for her! also love Bea and Santi (praying for their story) and the whole cast of characters. The banter and tension were delicious and the vibes were overall immaculate!

I really enjoyed this book. It was steamy, romantic, and had some suspense to it. This was the first book I have read by Cherish Reid. I can see myself reading more by her. I loved the ending, it was better than I thought it would be. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers, let me read this in exchange for an honest review

This had all the potential but it didn’t quite work out for me. I loved the way the characters were brought back into each other’s lives and their history. I would classify this as a second chance romance with two stubborn characters. I did like the ending and the way their mentor had a heavy presence. Overall, it was just okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I read it all in one day. Reid writes so well, and I love how I always get so sucked into her storytelling. Magnus and Celeste had great chemistry, and I loved their second chance romance. The found family that formed was so good, and I have my fingers crossed for another potential couple to get their own book as well!

CW: sexual content, grief, cancer, death, sexism

Two of my VERY favorite things are heist stories and second chance romances and this latest from Charish Reid seamlessly blends both to perfection!! Full of steamy scenes, a moving connection to a dead mentor who has given them a final job to complete and an Ocean's Eleven esque jewel heist, Jewel me twice delivered on all the feels and romantic suspense I could have hoped for. Great on audio and perfect for fans of books like Love & other scams by Philip Ellis. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Something about this book reminded me of the Italian Job. Celeste and Magnus have some unfinished business from a botched Stochkom job. There's nothing quite like the death of a mentor for one last whorah. The dual timeline helped the reader understand how the team came together and maybe how Doris mentored them to be international jewel thieves. At the same time, I think it impacted the plot's pacing. Sometimes I didn't think a flashback was necessary, but I also wanted to get to the final journal entry (so take that with a grain of salt). Without getting too spoilery I think it was an interesting sub-message that she saw something in Celeste but wanted her to avoid the same choices she made. Overall I wonder based on the epilogue if there's more to come with this team because I think Doris will continue to speak to her crew from the dead.

When Celeste learns of her mentor's passing, she is not shocked to find herself pulled in for one last thieving job with her old crew. As they plan for a new heist, Celeste is reunited with her former partner and flame, Magnus, for the first time after their dramatic split. With their tension and chemistry running as strong as ever, the two are forced to decide if they are willing to set aside their differences and finally be vulnerable with each other.

I don't think I've ever read a thief romance and I have to say it was so much fun! The story was perfectly balanced with enough romance and chemistry to keep the thievery and heisting entertaining and never broaching on too much. Celeste and Magnus were absolutely breathtaking together, their tension and rapport was so lively and full of chemistry. I loved how the second chance romance played out and the two reflected on their previous relationship and issues before committing to each other. Beyond the romance, the characters and their found family were so cute, and I cannot wait for the rest of the crew to get their happily ever afters!

Heat Factor: It’s got some pretty steamy scenes a moderate way into the plot

Character Chemistry: It’s got that situational tension AND that sexy tension

Plot: Celeste and Magnus were part of a tight-knit crew of thieves that was abruptly split apart after a failed heist. Reunited for one last job, Celeste and Magnus end up facing who they were and who they want to be—and have to decide if who they want to be with is each other.

Overall: This book was RIDICULOUSLY good.

I’ll be honest, I opened this book a little worried because the plot set up was so good I thought it couldn’t possibly deliver. A second-chance romance with international jewel heists? I couldn’t let my poor, poor heart get too invested.

Celeste and Magnus are both established, PhD holding, normal-seeming people—except that Magnus is only a geology professor as a cover, and Celeste acquires the high end antiques in her elite shop through subterfuge and thievery. They were once part of an elite team of thieves that was split apart when a failed heist in Sweden destroyed their budding relationship and Magnus left the team.

When their mentor dies and leaves them one last scavenger hunt/heist, Celeste and Magnus are reunited with their team and are forced to revisit what went wrong—both with their relationship and with their team.

Celeste and Magnus are both characters I found very easy to admire. They’re both driven, motivated, calculating, and creative. They’re also both fiercely independent for different reasons. Magnus was orphaned at 14 and found himself privileged but alone, and Celeste was orphaned much younger and had to protect herself in a group home. Both used what they went through as a way to fuel their dreams and goals—Celeste in particular was hungry for power and the safety and security that power can provide. But both their backstories unfold in such a way that it’s just one part of who they are as characters, and I like that neither one is ever depicted and something broken that needs fixing. It’s more like, hey, if you want this life you’re going to need to make some adjustments. Characters as intelligent and successful as Celeste and Magnus deserve to be depicted as more than poor victims waiting to be saved, you know?

You’ll also find yourself loving the side characters in this book. Not a flat one in sight. Celeste brings to the group her younger assistant, Beatrice, who hasn’t been part of a crew before. Her inclusion in the list of characters was, in my opinion, a critical component to why the book plays out so beautifully. Because she’s new and is kind of Celeste’s ward, it’s very natural that Celeste would see herself in Beatrice and it forces Celeste to confront both her past and her other relationships. For example, one of Magnus’ big complaints prior to the split was that Celeste took risks that were too big and that she didn’t consider how that impacted other people in the crew—especially Magnus. In watching Beatrice step out and take risks, Celeste very naturally and subtly has to examine how it feels to watch someone you want to protect put themselves in harm’s way. And Magnus at one point comforts and mentors Beatrice and sees that limiting someone because you’re afraid of what could happen is also not an ideal way to love them.

You know one of my absolute FAVORITE things about this book? At one point we learn that Celeste is in her young forties, but she’s never described as being attractive “for her age” and the ways her body has changed since she last slept with Magnus are not listed—same with Magnus. The steamy scenes between them are just two people fully engaged in enjoying the pleasure of each other without “her body was still really good” or “his body was a little softer but she loved it”. I had no idea the unquenchable thirst I had for aging bodies being left alone until I read this book. Let me say it louder for the people in the back—we do not need asterisks next to descriptions of bodies that age. There is no need to even go there. We know Celeste and Mangus have gotten older—at one point, Magnus and Celeste go for a run and Celeste doesn’t stretch first and she strains a hammie, and they banter about the importance of needing to stretch at their age, but the author just lets the mutual attraction be what it is with no excuses or caveats. And it’s not like she’s not described as being very attractive—she is. Almost immediately. It’s just that the description isn’t like, “despite her softer, slightly saggy skin and the creases around her eyes, Celeste was still a hottie”. She’s just described as gorgeous, because—SPOILER ALERT—gorgeous has very little to do with age. I guess it just never occurred to me before that there’s really no dire need to point out what an aging body looks like because I already know and I don’t care. And maybe neither should anyone else?

Anyway, if you’re in the mood for a heist book with mature characters and a stellar cast, look no further. This is a winner.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.