A Heart Worth Stealing Book Review and Author Interview

ABOUT THE BOOK

Little Sowerby, England, 1802

Miss Genevieve Wilde―a magistrate’s daughter and independent heiress―is determined to meet life’s challenges all on her own, just as her late father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she will do anything to get it back, especially when the local authorities prove incompetent.

Upon reading an advertisement in the paper, she takes a chance and contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives on her doorstep. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable, and Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.

But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is just a small part of a larger, more frightening plot against her, she needs Jack’s help more than ever. To protect her home and her reputation, the two enter into a risky charade―pretending Jack is her cousin so he can begin his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to unravel the mystery, Ginny finds herself falling fast for her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Joanna Barker firmly believes that romance makes everything better, which is why she has fallen in love with writing Regency romances. When she’s not typing away on her next book, you’ll find her listening to podcasts, eating her secret stash of chocolate, or adding things to her Amazon cart. Joanna is a three-time Whitney Awards finalist, and her books have received praise from Publisher’s Weekly, the Historical Novel Society, Readers’ Favorite, and more. She thinks being an author is the second-best job in the world—right after being a mom. She is just a little crazy about her husband and three wild-but-loveable kids.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - What will readers like most about this book?

Joanna Barker - I think readers will enjoy watching Ginny learn and grow and fall in love, all while trying to solve a mystery! This book also takes an interesting dive into the English justice system, which is much more interesting than it sounds!

Life Is What It's Called - Will there be any spin-offs from this book?

Joanna Barker - I am hoping to write a series with this being the first book! I'm crossing my fingers that my publisher will want to see more of these books.

Life Is What It's Called - How is this book similar and different from your other books?

Joanna Barker - A Heart Worth Stealing is similar in that readers will find the same swoony, toe-curling clean romance as in my other books! But I've tried my hand at adding some mystery and suspense to the plot line, which really adds a lot of excitement to the story!

Life Is What It's Called - What was your favorite scene to write for this book?

Joanna Barker - My favorite scene to write was the meet cute! Jack is one of my favorite heroes I've written and I loved introducing him in such a fun way. 

Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you?

Joanna Barker - I would love readers to know that I'm just a soft romantic through and through! Romance triumphs over all in my books, and I hope they get swept away.

Life Is What It's Called - What writing projects are you working on now?

Joanna Barker - I'm working on a sequel to A Heart Worth Stealing, which I can't say much about yet, but I hope to soon!

REVIEW

I enjoyed the mystery, action, drama, mystery, and romance in this story. I felt like it had a little bit of everything and it may be my favorite by Joanna Barker. The story moves quickly from one action to another while also building the characters' relationship to each other and the minor characters. There are also several unexpected twists and turns. The main characters are extremely likable with well-rounded personalities that make them lovable and memorable. With so much going on in the story, Barker does a good job at maintaining a balance and momentum throughout the story. It's an entertaining story and a page-turner. Romance readers will find this a must to add to their TBR pile. To learn more, click here.

Disclaimer: This post is done in cooperation with the publisher. I received a free copy of the book to review, however, I shared my honest opinion and my own views. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.