A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker: Book Review

Details

• Genre: Historical fiction with mystery elements
• Series: Bow Street (Book #1)
• Length: 328 pages (Kindle edition)
• Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Tropes

• Forced proximity
• Opposites attract

My Rating

Book Description

“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.”

— from Goodreads

My Review

When her beloved father’s watch goes missing and the constables’ response proves less than satisfactory, Genevieve Wilde is forced to take matters into her own hands. Can she and charming thief-taker Jack Travers find the thief and, perhaps, love along the way?

While Ginny could be fiery, she was quite levelheaded in her decision-making. It was great to see how capable she was at managing her estate, even with all the sabotage. 

Jack was a hoot! He really knew how to push Ginny’s buttons. Though he could be brash, he means well and tries to fix his mistakes.

Their interactions had plenty of “awww ☺️” moments.

The Travers family were full of personality. (It’s easy to see how they rubbed off on Jack.) It took me a while to warm up to Ginny’s sister Catherine, but she did grow on me.

Beatrice and Wily were good friends to Ginny and Jack respectively. (And I honestly wouldn’t mind them getting their own stories.)

Favorite Moments

🕰️ crying over memories
🕰️ stargazing 
🕰️ wiping off the perfume
🕰️ the oak tree
🕰️ waking up at Harpsford House

Favorite Quotes

“‘Tell me everything. is he frightful looking? Does he have a great beard and smell terrible?’

‘He’s a thief-taker, not a hermit, Beatrice.’ She read far too many novels.

‘So, what does he look like, then?’

‘He is —’ I paused. ‘Well, he’s not what I expected. He is rather young, and…well…’

A slow grin spread across Beatrice’s face. ‘Genevieve Wilde, you think he’s handsome.’“

Joanna Barker

“My face burned…’What precisely was I supposed to think, being handled so?’

‘Believe me,’ Mr. Travers said, lips curving upwards, ‘if I was trying to kiss you, you’d know it.’

I shook my head, cheeks aflame. ‘You are a scoundrel.’

‘I’ve never claimed otherwise.’“

Joanna Barker

“I cast him a sideways glance. ‘How shockingly insightful you are, Mr. Travers.’

He grinned. ‘I cannot be dashing and witty all of the time. One must be well-rounded.’“

Joanna Barker

“A smile as wide as the sun. Eyes as blue as the sea. And a love as wild as his heart. Jack.“

Joanna Barker

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