Joanna Barker has come up with some original story ideas, and So True a Love is just one of them. Verity has dreams (or did at one time) of becoming a female Bow Street Runner. Her brother worked with Bow Street. (You can read his story in A Heart Worth Stealing.) Jack taught her everything he knew, and he often enlisted her help with cases. She has a good mind for detective work. After Jack married and settled, Verity thought she might try doing some cases personally. She was doing pretty well, but one case went a little off that scared her, and rightly so. Verity was with a friend's family when they were all robbed. But something is off with the thief. Verity takes after him and literally bumps into Bow Street Runner, Nathaniel. Verity is urged by her friend to take on this case personally as a note was in her friend's reticule that could ruin her.

Nathaniel is immediately irritated and intrigued by Verity. She seems to be popping up everywhere he is, disrupting his investigation. He didn't want to take this case because it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, and it also doesn't pay well. But he doesn't have a choice. Nathaniel quickly realizes that keeping Verity away from this case isn't going to happen, and so the two team up. I couldn't have been more excited about this duo. Nathaniel doesn't take much longer than teaming up with her to realize that he might want more from a relationship with her. But Verity doesn't plan to marry. She's keeping a secret that she doesn't want to be exposed.

The mystery wasn't the driving force for me, which is actually a good thing in my opinion. I felt like the mystery was central enough to the plot that it does guide most of the story, but my drive to read wasn't from wanting to find out the "who done it," but to find out if Verity would let her guard down to let Nathaniel in.

Favorite quotes:
-The next morning, I set out, determined to put my plan into action. It was two-pronged, as any worthwhile plan was.

-"Trust is a valuable thing, Miss Travers," he responded. "One mustn't give it away too easily."

-"A girl must use all the skills at her disposal," I replied. "You would be surprised how often I am underestimated."

-"I do not drink while working," he said eventually, his voice almost too steady. As if he'd offered this explanation many times before. "I prefer to have my wits about me." "I see," I said, trying not to show how very intrigued I was. "Wits are rather hard to come by. Best not to frighten them off."

-"Oh, none of that formality," I said. "Please call me Patience."

-"There is, perhaps, no surer mark of folly," he went on, "than an attempt to correct the natural infirmities of those we love."

-"Always one step forward and two steps back," he said in a soft voice. "But I am undeterred."

-"I find it quite impossible to forget anything about you."

-"I've never known anyone like you," I said quietly. "You say what you feel, and you mean it. No guile or deception."

-I'd learned firsthand from my parents that love could be both selfish and caring.

-A young lady passed him, eyeing him with unmistakable interest. I could hardly blame her--the man certainly knew how to lean on a wall--but I still glared at her back.

-"That is why we work so well together," I replied with a saucy wink. "You plan; I improvise."

As you can see there are some real gems in the banter between Nathaniel and Verity. Their relationship was supportive, and they admired each other's talents and abilities. I loved their entire journey. And they might be one of my favorite couples that I've read this month. So True a Love gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read So True a Love? What did you think? Let me know!

Every time I dive into a new Joanna Barker novel, I tell myself to lower my expectations because there's no possible way this book will be as wonderful as the last one I read.

And then I read the new book and I am, once again, blown away and calling it my new favorite Barker book.

So True a Love is no exception. (Except, maybe, that the title is too cliche and has nothing to do with the actual story).

Verity is my favorite kind of heroine: spunky, intelligent, stubborn, and prone to "attract danger like flies to honey." She kept me on my toes. And although I've never been particularly interested in Bow Street Runners, I love the history in this book that helps me put other Regency novels into proper historical perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me an electronic copy to review. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions are my own.

This is a review for So True a Love by Joanna Barker, a sequel to A Heart Worth Stealing, and I absolutely loved both books! This is a review for NetGalley, as I received a complimentary copy in return for my honest opinion. This story grabbed me from the beginning, as Verity Travers, sister of the Bow Street Runner, Jack Travers, finds herself with similar talents for investigating crimes, and is called upon by a dear friend who is thrown into a dangerous situation for which she desperately needs Verity's investigative skills to help her discreetly, before her reputation is ruined forever. I would describe it as a wonderful regency era mystery set in England, with a hint of romance that captivated me from page one, and kept me reading till the surprising climax, which I never would've guessed in a million years! What a great story, and I rate it 5 stars!

One night Verity is out on the town with her friend Elizabeth Harwood, her father Sir Reginald Harwood and Lady Harwood, and they are accosted in broad daylight by a thief who not only demands their valuables, but makes off with Elizabeth's reticle that has something of greater value, and will later be used to blackmail the Harwood family. But Verity Travers, with her training from her brother, and who has helped solve other such cases in the past, is called in to help Elizabeth with her dire predicament. Bow Street, the police force of the day is also called in to help, and that is where handsome officer Nathaniel Denning is assigned to the case, and doesn't think an amateur like Verity Travers will be able to offer any help on the case at all, but they are thrown together, and must find a way to solve this serious case for the Harwoods because this is more than a simple robbery!

I loved this story! I love the regency era, but sometimes the stories are too mushy, and too similar....this story, although there was a romance, was interesting, captivating, fast-paced, with great characters, unpredictable & exciting climax, and really enjoyable to read! Both of these books by Joanna Barker are excellent, and I highly recommend them both!
#joannabarker #netgalley #greatbooks

So well-written! Her cadence, the prose, the Regency verbal sparring, all well-done! No swears and no alcohol—even from the MMC! I know unheard of in the Regency era. Descriptive kisses only.

This exciting mystery romance will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Verity Travers had garnered success as a private investigator, but a life-altering case causes her to give up the profession she loves and to instead be the woman society expects her to be. That is, until she is at the theater with friends and they are the victims of an armed robbery. Instinct kicks in and Verity chases the robber, nearly catching him before running (literally!) into Nathaniel Denning a Bow Street Runner. Each of them uses their contacts and skills to find the thief, but soon realize that it might be better to work together. However, when personal and professional lines start to blur, the stakes get even higher.

Verity is a unique character in that she has natural investigative talents, is able to cultivate informants, and is very good at solving cases, especially with her drawing expertise. But in Regency England, a woman’s goal was to find an advantageous marriage, not run around chasing criminals. Her family has a bit of a checkered history and Verity carries a chip on her shoulder because of it. She is confident in so many areas of her life, but also has fears and insecurities that give her a depth and realness. Nathaniel is also drawn well as the hero. He appreciates Verity’s talents and doesn’t try to diminish her. He does try to keep her out of danger and that is practically a full-time job. There are some really beautiful conversations between the two about where they see life taking them and how that affects those around them. Readers will also enjoy Verity’s quirky family and Nathaniel’s solid upbringing and how hard he works to help others. When these two eventually give in to solve the mystery together instead of apart and the author combines that with all the delicious romantic tension, it makes this a book readers won’t be able to put down until the very last page.

I love it when characters in a story experience great growth and bring the reader along with them to share in life's victories. Such was the case in Joanna Barker's 'So True a Love'. Not only is there an extremely well-executed mystery, there is a great exploration of what it means to be in a family and the devotion that can exist in loving families. I highly recommend this book and hope that there is a continuation of the story, as I'd like to know more about Elizabeth Harwood. I highly recommend this and the previous story 'A Heart Worth Stealing'.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

3.5 STARS

So True A Love was an enjoyable historical romance. Though I found the beginning a little slow, the mystery was interesting, the slow-burn romance sweet. I had trouble relating to and ultimately really liking the heroine (stories with more of a feminist bent aren't my favorite.) But I can see fans of that PBS show Miss Scarlet and the Duke really liking this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC to review.

This was wonderful. It had romance but it also had a good mystery. This book wasn’t all fluff- it had some substance and a believable crime that was not predictable.
I loved the main characters. Verity was smart and capable but she also wasn’t invincible. I loved getting to know Nathaniel and learning more about the bow street runners.
This was a sweet romance that was mature and honest. It also had a satisfying ending.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were so well written. The storyline was well developed and compelling. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and struggled to put the book down when I needed to do other things. This book has a beautiful romance, mystery and heartfelt interactions between many of the characters. I can not recommend this book enough.

I feel like I am going through an era of really good historical romance novels. I really enjoyed both the romance and the mystery solving aspect. The main characters are delightful and it was lovely to read them falling in love. However, what I liked most was that the two main characters were not bland but had wonderful depth and interesting families. This is the second in a series and the main characters from the first novel make a cameo. I think Joanna Barker has real talent writing historical romances! You will never guess who the blackmailer is!!

Big thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing, Joanna Barker and NetGalley for an early release copy of this book. This is my honest review.

What a fun read. I loved the quiet mysteriousness of Nathaniel and the more vocal, "set in her ways" Verity. Although they seem opposite in many ways, they greatly compliment each other. I truly love Verity's character and seeing all the little scrapes she seems to get herself in but also seeing her passion for what she does. I greatly enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

This was beautifully written and hard to put down! I loved the characterization of the heroine, Verity: she had layers and wounds, but was full of spunk and ambition. The hero, Nathaniel, was the perfect balance of patient and persistent for her, and his strength and protectiveness was endearing. I enjoyed the references to the earlier book with shared characters, A Heart Worth Stealing, but this novel can be read without reading that one first.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

So cute! I loved A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker, and this one is just as good. It mentions some of the same characters so I recommend reading that one first, but it can be read alone.

Verity Travers doesn’t want to marry or be dependent on a man. Partly because she was raised by a single mother who successfully supports their family as an actress, and partly because she hasn’t ever experienced the physical or emotional support of a father. She is a clever and brave detective who enjoys solving crimes for the people around her. Verity knows firsthand the importance of secrets and the impact they can have on a person’s standing in society.

She is out for the evening with her friend Elizabeth’s family when they are attacked and robbed. Elizabeth is desperate to recover a letter that was stolen with her reticule because it contains information that could ruin her family. Verity starts unofficially investigating, running into Nathaniel Denning in the process. He is a Bow Street Runner assigned to the case. They are irritated by each other but end up working together and their conversations are fun to read.

The mystery is full of surprises and there are plenty of funny parts to balance out the serious ones. This is a sweet romance – nothing beyond passionate kisses. I loved all the characters, especially Grandma, and was surprised to feel sympathy for the thief at the end. 5 stars! Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for a digital ARC via NetGalley to use for my review.

Joanna's books are just good, clean fun! There is mystery (who is the mysterious man that attacked the Hardwood's and what is he really after?) and adventure (as Nathaniel and Verity solve mysteries on the streets of London.) Naturally, there is romance and a delightful ending!

I truly enjoyed this historical fiction story! I received an arc from netgalley, but all enthusiastic opinions are my own!

When Verity Travers, the daughter of a well-loved actress, finds herself a victim of an armed robbery along with a close friend Elizabeth, she is determined not to let the thief escape. In her pursuit of the robber, she collides with Bow Street Runner Nathaniel Denning who is also on the hunt for the same criminal. They begin to cross paths often while unknowingly working on the same case and eventually realize that maybe they would be better off working together. Can they work together to catch the elusive criminal without catching feelings for one another?

I loved A Heart Worth Stealing so I was thrilled with the chance to read So True A Love. Joanna's writing is so easy to read and I love the depth of her characters. I really enjoy the mystery element along with the romance and it had me turning the pages so quickly. Verity was such a strong main character and very sure of herself while still having vulnerable moments. She and Nathaniel had instant chemistry from the get-go and I loved their story!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC!

Enjoyed the story and the London setting of this one. Really enjoyed the romance, as always. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

I know I’m in the minority here and it kills me because Joanna Barker is one of my favorites. What it comes down to was being wholly invested in this story. It certainly had moments that gripped me, but then things would really slow down again. My favorite part of the story was Verity’s character arc. When a heroine fights love in this time period?? Oh man, that’s my jam. But for the most part, this story just dragged. I did really like Elizabeth’s character and I do hope she gets her own story. I feel like she deserves it.

Thank you to the author and Shadow Mountain for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.

I like to thank the publisher for allowing me to read! Joanna Barker is a great historical romance novelist - one that has males that are swoony, and females who have gumption. The pairing in this are perfect if you like mysteries and girls who want to be female investigators.

Our female lead is not shy to mysteries and solving cases. In fact, she helped her brother - who worked in the field before being dismissed (due to a case gone wrong) - and after under an alias. We meet her at an outing where her friend's family was targeted by a pick-pocket. She runs after the pick-pocket (with a gun on hand - because her brother told her to keep a gun on her) and runs into a man of the law, and her male love interest.

Our male interest is noble, heroic, and well... perfect. Though he gets teased for his chivalrous notions, he finds her interesting until finding out who her brother is. Then he wants to keep her at arms length. He is assigned the case of her friend's family's stolen items, and while thinking it's beneath him, he reluctantly takes it. Meanwhile, our female lead's friend confesses that she needs the article (a purse) stolen from her back due to an incriminating letter... and that's where the story takes off.

What I enjoyed was the way the male and female never really wanted to be at odds with each other, they wanted to help one another out. Due to moments in the plot (which I won't spoil) which reveal their true motions and drive, you see that them appreciate what they can do and push one another to achieving their goals.

The end was a real delight and it had me thrown off a bit with all the reveals!

The reason I marked it down a star is that I felt the romance was a bit mid at times but that was just a me thing! Otherwise, I strongly encourage you to read this book due to the clean romance, the characters, and the plot itself.

I have to be honest it was not my favorite book by this author. I loved all her previous books but this one was slow. It took me a long time to read. The characters were predictable and the plot line has been done a million times before. I felt like the love story was a back burner not the main focus.

I didnt understand verity very well. I couldn’t relate to her. She was just another girl who feels like she can do life without a man. And just stumbles on a guy who is ok with her walking all over him. I struggled with the relationship and I struggled with relatability.

I had the biggest grin on my face while reading this entire book. The two leads have the best banter and interactions. Their relationship is healthy. Couple chemistry is *French kiss*. And the mystery element was so good! .I cannot recommend this book enough. I think you should read the first book “A Heart worth stealing” but you don’t have to in order to enjoy this novel.
Clean level: a few kisses, couple has to sleep in the same room and I’m pretty sensitive to too much romance/steam and this was perfect, I didn’t feel the need to chuck it in the bin. I just want to frame it on my wall instead.