I love a heist and I love a second chance romance, but this wasn't the book for me. The characters didn't engage me in any way and so I wasn't especially interested in the relationship or the heist. Hopefully others will enjoy it!

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy to review

I feel like I keep searching through so many anticipated releases, waiting for something that will break the reading slump. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't the one to do it. I just felt bored.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

I fell in love with Charish Reid's writing last September when I read Mickey Chambers Shakes it Up. Obviously, that meant that I was desperate to read her newest release Jewel Me Twice. It was such a romp! A heist novel with a second chance romance at its center, JMT follows Celeste and Magnus former flames and part of the same squad of thieves. It was so fun reading them falling in love because of all the moving elements of the crime but also the bits and pieces of their previous, somewhat tragic ending.

Celeste is a certified badass!!! She knows her worth but she's still struggling to find her place in the world without her former mentor. I really liked how Reid built up the grief Celeste and Magnus were feeling. They really were two halves of a whole. AND SHE WAS ONLY SOFT FOR HIM!!! The steamy scenes were hot as hell because they already knew what the other character needed/wanted.

Read this if you like second chance romances, heists (with a bit of mystery), badass FMCs who are only soft for the hero, and later in life romances.

THIS BOOK IS A BLAST!!

If you watched Ocean's 8 and thought...wouldn't this be a fun romance, you will love this book.

Celeste and Magnus are former colleagues (on the same heist team) and former lovers. One the opportunity for the old gang to get back together and complete a heist that went south years ago, they are thrust (hehe) back into each other's lives in a big way. Charish Reid did a great job balancing the romance and the heist, I didn't feel like there was too much of either. The spice was divine, the characters very fun (and in their forties!) and the obstacles they had to overcome believable. Do yourself a favor and have a blast with this book!

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley :)

The story centering a romance and heist was very unique and fun. The heist was a blast to read about. I was on the edge of my seat throughout their adventures wondering what would happen. I got very similar vibes as to Ocean 11. In a way, the group of characters joining together also reminded me of Six of Crows, just without the fantasy elements.

While I liked both of the characters separately, I didn't have much feeling towards them as a couple. The attraction towards each other felt much more physical than emotional, especially in the beginning. I personally prefer more emotional connections. I was much more invested in the plot of the book than the characters and the romance.

I thought a second chance heist romance would be right up my alley but this one lacked something for me. I couldn't quite get a handle on the characters, why were they doing what they were doing? What led them to make the choices they did? I get the found family aspect of it and the heroine especially wanting a mother figure in her life but beyond that, what brought them into this life and kept them here? I just wish it was a little more character driven and not so much plot driven which yes, I realize it IS a heist book and so that has to play a large part in that but I did want some more about the MCs and their backstories.

I love Charish Reid and I am so excited about this book. I LOVE a heist!! And a second chance??? Professionally and romantically?? I love it so much it’s quite literally everything I could ever dream of.

Thanks to Canary Street Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

((This part is NOT a reflection of the book or the author!!! The formatting for the arc made it hard to read - I know that’s just the life of an arc reader sometimes but like every time it happens to me it made it a little hard to read and keep the pacing right))

Such a fun and spicy read that made a long plane ride for me feel so much faster. I love the characters’ chemistry and the balance of spice and plot.

I loved every second of this book!! Charish hit the ball out of the park. It was spicy and high stakes! I was here for the plot and adventure while also feeling drawn to the character development. I can’t remember the last time I read a book so fast. I can’t wait for Black women to see themselves in this story and see that we deserve diamonds too!

A little bit of Oceans 11 vibes with this one... At first I was feeling unsure about it. The characters, story... but I continued on and ended up enjoying the story overall. A true second chance!

Second chance romance ✔️
Character tension ✔️
Banter between MCs ✔️
Interesting concept ✔️

This is my second book from Cherish Reid and I really enjoy her writing style so far! Celeste and Magnus had undeniable chemistry and I was rooting for them to get back together the entire book. Definitely recommend reading this one if you love second chance romance with an interesting subplot. Really thankful I got the chance to read this as an ARC. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for this advanced copy. Excited to read more from Cherish!

I love Charish Reid’s books. This heist romance was so sexy and fun, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The romance, spice, found family aspect, and plotting of the heist were all spot-on. If you’re a fan of Ocean’s 11, you’ll love this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Having read almost all of Charise Reid’s books, it is safe to say that she is one of my favorite authors. The premise or focus of her books can be varied but are often centered around academia and literature. I was excited to see that her most recent book, Jewel Me Twice, takes us to the world of intrigue and high-stakes theft. From all outward appearances, Celeste St. Pierre is a renown antique collector and dealer. She can gain entry to places where treasures are housed without raising any eyebrows. When she sets out to relieve a collector of a sought-after piece, she is totally taken aback to discover that her former lover/partner in crime is looking to nab the same item! Magnus Larsson is surprised to see Celeste in pursuit of the same jewelry that he is seeking. They soon find themselves reunited on one final heist; will this unexpected proximity bring them back to a place of love or splinter them for good? Ms. Reid infuses this sparkling story with edgy tension, both sexual and situational. Celeste and Magnus embark on a nuanced journey of reconnection and rediscovery and readers are given a front row seat for this scintillating journey.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

Such a fun heist romance and I would not be surprised if we got more books in this world about the other romances with other characters 😍 Thank you NetGalley and the author and the publisher. This was so delightful.

Thank you to HTTP for this arc for and honest review. This book was so much fun, I loved that this wasn’t the usual heist romcom where the main characters are trying to stop a thief or robbery. The main characters in this book actually do the jewelry stealing and I loved it. The main characters meat at a thief cute and we find out that they have history and dated before their thief clique disbanded. I loved the banter between them and there was immediate chemistry because of the past. They come together, pretend to be together so that they can pull of an ultimate theft.

If you like second chance, interracial romance, enemies at first, grumpy sunshine, diverse characters, opposites attracts and heists then you should read this!

A super fun heist romance with found family and second-chance romance elements! I loved all the details we got on the behind the scenes of the heists, the different plays, the prep, etc. It was the perfect backdrop for the tension between Marcus and Celeste which was sexy and steamy! It was also refreshing to read about older characters that brought more maturity to the story. I did struggle with the pacing which was incredibly slow for a good portion of the book. For a heist romance, I was expecting it to be more fast-paced. I also felt like the reason for their breakup could have been stronger or clearer without jeopardizing their present day romance. I didn't understand why they broke up in the past and that diminished the delicious angst slightly. Overall, very enjoyable and I would love to read a sequel featuring more heists and Beatrice and Santiago's romance!

I am a fan of Charish Reid's books in general, and Jewel Me Twice - a fun heist romance featuring a 'mature' central couple in Celeste and Magnus and an engaging crew of side characters - hit a lot of my favourite beats.

I really loved that the book doesn't shy away from showing how Celeste's vocation as a master thief is impacted by being Black; her experience as shown in this book is very different than that of Magnus, a wealthy cis white man - potential marks don't second-guess what Magnus is doing in a room the way they do for Celeste, and I found the way this treatment affected their approaches to various jobs fascinating. I also loved the mentor relationship between Celeste and Bea; their trust was apparent from the very first time we see them working together in the book and it was a refreshing change to the typical 'isolated thief' narrative.

This book is chock-full of small fun bits as well - I particularly loved Celeste forgetting she was wearing the tiara when speaking with the bike messenger - I can just picture that happening, and it's too funny.

There seems like plenty of story left to feature the other members of the crew in future; my fingers are crossed for a future book starring Santiago and Bea in particular!

I received an ARC for this book via NetGalley; all opinions expressed here are my own.

Jewel Me Twice is the story of former lovers and literal partners in crime, Celeste and Magus, reuniting to pull off one last jewel heist at the request of their mentor who has since passed away. This was a very fun and sexy read that I enjoyed! The tension between Celeste and Magnus was literally dripping off the pages and I knew those two would give into each other quickly lol Celeste and Magnus were reunited with their old crew: Santiago and Lawrence and Celeste’s mentee Beatrice. Even though their mentor, Doris, had passed on we still got to see parts of her past through journal entries she left behind. Jewel Me Twice will have you rooting for the crew to pull off the ultimate heist and it also gave Ocean’s 8 vibes. They were a found family in their own quirky way. Charish Reid has become a favorite of mine this year! Her writing will have you entertained and swooning all in the same breath. Make sure to get this one when it comes out! Happy reading✨

Pub Date: 7/23/24

Thanks to Netgalley and Canary books for this eARC

Preorder your Copy of Jewel Me Twice wherever books are sold!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the growth within the main characters and understanding on what they needed to work on as individuals to come together as partners in the field and personally.

It was a super cute heist romance. Where they had to come back together as a team and pull one last big job. It was an easy, comfortable read where I didn't feel like anything was missed .The story flowed perfectly. I loved that there was banter and wittiness amongst the group and the love interests.

The tension before the second chances lovers was too good !!! The spice was perfect! I also feel like we are being setup for a second book with Bea and Santiago which I'm so excited about.

I think this was such a good read that I see this being a great summer beach read !

3.5 stars. I mean, what's more fun than a heist crew pulling One Last Job? I liked details about the priceless jewels, the globetrotting, the tech. This book is nonstop action and suspense. And it's cinematic as all hell - I'd really love to see this adapted to film or TV.

If there's one weakness, it's the dynamic between the MCs. They're hot together but I didn't get that sense of huge emotional stakes or the satisfaction of seeing a perfectly matched couple finally get it right.