TO STEAL A HEART - K.C. Bateman

#1 in the Secrets and Spies romantic suspense series

FULL OF ACTION! - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Marianne is a circus performer who is just trying to keep her and her sister alive after the death of their aristocratic parents during the French Revolution. Surprisingly she is recruited to help free a prisoner, using her tightrope and knife-throwing skills. The man she is working with turns out to be a sexy and powerful double agent that she is trying to resist.

Writing - 4 stars - Bateman is able to craft a story that is both exciting and romantic. The setting is rich and full of both highs and lows. I was caught up in the story right away and was kept on the edge of my seat throughout.

Characters - 4.5 stars - This is where the story shone for me. Marianne is a petite yet strong woman who doesn't recognize either her strength or her beauty. I enjoyed watching her face every adversity and rise above them without losing her self-respect or her determination. Nic is the ultimate spy--hot and sexy and very powerful, both physically and mentally. He plays on people's emotions, especially women, and is able to finagle himself out of every dangerous situation. Very attractive and a good guy to have at your back in a pinch.

Title - 4 stars - The title leads the reader in the right direction, referring to stealing but also mentioning the heart since it's a romance.

Cover - 4 stars - This cover certainly catches the eye, showing the very attractive body of the main female character.

Overall - 4 stars - I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've read one other Bateman book before this, so I was prepared for something fun, and this book definitely delivered. There was a good foundation of an exciting plot and well-designed characters. And the action-packed scenes really carried me forward, keeping my interest and compelling me to keep turning the pages. I will certainly look for the next in this sure-to-be-entertaining series.

First, I have to say that I did receive this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Okay now that is off my chest wow... so this has taken many different times and a couple of years for me to finish. I honestly have to say I have never disliked a main character as much as I hated Nic. He is a spy trying to complete a rescue mission and does everything in his power to get a woman to assist. He is a jerk and down right annoying person. I couldn’t stand him at all. Then we have a woman who has been through some horrible times being blackmailed by the “HERO,” and who never follows through on anything she plans. Drove me crazy!

As always a thanks goes first to NetGalley and Random House Loveswept for providing us with a copy of these books so that we could bring you this review.

I really enjoyed these books, the best part of them is that the woman are strong no nonsense kind of women. They aren't going to let these men tell them what to do. They are going to do what needs to be done and get there safely one way or another. Marianne has had life throw her curveballs at every turn and still manages to find way that will keep her sister safe. Im sure she never planned for Nicolas to come into her life and turn it upside down though. Heloise is not only strong in conviction but in intelligence as well. Her intelligence is what makes her a target though. Though Raven fights it every second of the time they are together he can't deny that he isn't head over heals for her. But by far my favorite of them all is Sabine. She learns to take care of herself but she is sneaky, conniving, and determined. All that is what throws Richard for a loop that is for sure. The other thing about these books is that they are based on things that happened in the past so it was interesting to go back and learn a little bit of Persian history while I read them.

I give these books a combined 4.75 kisses.

Happy Reading... Adri