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Stealing Mercy
After a night of terror, Mercy Faye flees New York. Disguised as a boy, she sets sail for a new life in Seattle, but her nightmare, Mr. Steele, follows close behind. Armed with only her chocolates, laced tarts and wits, Mercy sets out to destroy Mr. Steele and his Lucky Island brothel. Trent Michaels is searching for his missing cousin. he can't afford complications - or romance - yet, at every turn he finds Mercy Faye. The night before the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, flames spark between Mercy and Trent leaving the life they know and the city they love in ashes. Their story reaches forward through time to Bette Michaels, a genealogist, struggling with grief after the sudden death of her husband. Although generations apart, as Bette unravels Mercy's story, she learns that a life can be rebuilt - even after everything is lost. Through Mercy, Bette learns that sometimes the only way to find happiness is to steal it.
194 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2011
43 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
About the author
Kristy Tate
105 books154 followersDr. Seuss was my first love. When my mom left me in the children’s section of the library I’d find Horton and the Cat. My mom hated the good doctor and refused to checkout his books. He was my secret, guilty pleasure. Eventually, I read about Narnia, Oz and Green Gables.
When my mom grew too sick to visit the library, a friend brought her a stash of romances which she kept in a big box beside her bed. Weekly, this good friend replenished the box. My mom didn’t know I read her books; it was like the Seuss affair, only sexier. Reading became my escape from a horrific and scary situation. Immersed in a story, I didn’t have to think about the life and death drama taking place on the other side of my bedroom wall. Books were my hallucinogenic drug of choice. In college, I studied literature and fell in love with Elliot, Willa and too many others to mention. (This had no similarity to my dating life.)
I’m no longer a child living with a grieving father and a dying mother, nor am I the co-ed in search of something or someone real, nonfictional. I’m an adult blessed with an abundance of love. I love my Heavenly Father and His son, my husband and family, my dog, my friends, my neighbors, my writing group, the birds outside my window.
Because I’m a writer, I also love my characters. I adore their pluck, courage and mettle. I admire the way they face and overcome hardships. But, as in any romance, I sometimes I get angry with them and think that they are too stupid to live. At those times, I have to remind myself that they live only in my imagination, unless I share. Writing for me is all about sharing--giving back to the world that has so generously shared with me-- because I learned a long time ago that the world is full of life and death dramas. Sometimes we need a story to help us escape.
And we need as much love as we can find. That’s why I write romance.
When my mom grew too sick to visit the library, a friend brought her a stash of romances which she kept in a big box beside her bed. Weekly, this good friend replenished the box. My mom didn’t know I read her books; it was like the Seuss affair, only sexier. Reading became my escape from a horrific and scary situation. Immersed in a story, I didn’t have to think about the life and death drama taking place on the other side of my bedroom wall. Books were my hallucinogenic drug of choice. In college, I studied literature and fell in love with Elliot, Willa and too many others to mention. (This had no similarity to my dating life.)
I’m no longer a child living with a grieving father and a dying mother, nor am I the co-ed in search of something or someone real, nonfictional. I’m an adult blessed with an abundance of love. I love my Heavenly Father and His son, my husband and family, my dog, my friends, my neighbors, my writing group, the birds outside my window.
Because I’m a writer, I also love my characters. I adore their pluck, courage and mettle. I admire the way they face and overcome hardships. But, as in any romance, I sometimes I get angry with them and think that they are too stupid to live. At those times, I have to remind myself that they live only in my imagination, unless I share. Writing for me is all about sharing--giving back to the world that has so generously shared with me-- because I learned a long time ago that the world is full of life and death dramas. Sometimes we need a story to help us escape.
And we need as much love as we can find. That’s why I write romance.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 22, 2013
I really enjoyed this book (it only took me a day to read) but I also found a lot of things that frustrated me.
First off, the editing is horrible! There are so many typos it was hard to get through sometimes.
Second, I cannot figure out the point of the present-day story. I found myself skimming whenever the book changed to it, glancing to see if there was anything important that added to the book. Nothing.
Third, I feel like there were so many questions left unanswered and ideas unfinished. Did Steele kidnap the girls? What happened to the girls that escaped the brothel? What happened with Rita? Mercy wanted a more appropriate proposal to know that marriage wasn't being suggested just to make things right. It wouldn't have hurt to have added in an "I love you" at the very least.
Overall, despite me feeling unsatisfied, I really did like the book and would have given the book more stars if there hadn't been an unnecessary modern-day plot.
First off, the editing is horrible! There are so many typos it was hard to get through sometimes.
Second, I cannot figure out the point of the present-day story. I found myself skimming whenever the book changed to it, glancing to see if there was anything important that added to the book. Nothing.
Third, I feel like there were so many questions left unanswered and ideas unfinished. Did Steele kidnap the girls? What happened to the girls that escaped the brothel? What happened with Rita? Mercy wanted a more appropriate proposal to know that marriage wasn't being suggested just to make things right. It wouldn't have hurt to have added in an "I love you" at the very least.
Overall, despite me feeling unsatisfied, I really did like the book and would have given the book more stars if there hadn't been an unnecessary modern-day plot.
January 23, 2018
A Rollicking Tale by a Talented Author
This book is full of non-stop mayhem and sparkling dialogue. It was a delight to read a historical romance novel that made me laugh, pumped my heart beat, but didn't insult my intelligence or my moral compass. I'm looking forward to finding other works by this author.
This book is full of non-stop mayhem and sparkling dialogue. It was a delight to read a historical romance novel that made me laugh, pumped my heart beat, but didn't insult my intelligence or my moral compass. I'm looking forward to finding other works by this author.
September 18, 2022
Very boring. I could not even finish 50 pages
December 3, 2012
According to her bio, this is Kristy Tate's first book. I liked the book, and it's a good read.
BUT... my attention waned, mostly because of Mercy's vacillating over whether to tell Trent the truth of her story. The story felt uneven - especially in the present day story.
I never quite grasped what the story of the present-day story was all about. Who is Odious to the mysterious woman in the present - Mrs. Michaels? Does that mean that her husband, Gregg, was related to the Michaels family, and thus to Odious? If so, they couldn't have been close relations...
The main story of Mercy, Trent, Eloise, Miles, Georgiana, and Mr. Steele is fascinating. And yet, uneven, too. The author seems to hold back details that might have helped the reader understand the story and the characters better. So much is hinted at, and yet not all of the pieces come together in the end. For example, there's a scene in the middle of the book where one of the "bad guys" is shot while stabbing someone seeking revenge. All we hear is the gunshot, and then all we see is the scene that Mercy sees - gruesome, to be sure. But what really happened? I suppose we can piece it together. And yet, would it have hurt for the author to show us that scene through one of the eyes of one of the people in that room?
The "mystery" involving who is whom among the characters is also not entirely satisfying. There's one character, especially, who comes and goes like a black ghost, and when we finally learn what's going on, it's a bare glimpse - enough to get the gist, but not enough to fill in the blanks.
When I'd finished the book, I wanted so much more! I completely understand withholding the full story until the end of the book, doling it out in pieces. But when I finish a book, I like to have a much better, more solid picture of what I just read. Mercy and Trent made me care about them enormously! And Lucky Island and the girls and Georgiana... what happened? We can put pieces together for Eloise and Miles and Chloe, but there's so much more. I feel as if my DVR cut off the last 20 minutes of a movie! It's frustrating! If I were the sort who didn't usually put things together quickly or didn't almost always solve the whodunnit in the first few chapters of the book, I'd just think that I'd missed something that I should have seen.
But I would definitely give another book by Ms. Tate a try.
BUT... my attention waned, mostly because of Mercy's vacillating over whether to tell Trent the truth of her story. The story felt uneven - especially in the present day story.
I never quite grasped what the story of the present-day story was all about. Who is Odious to the mysterious woman in the present - Mrs. Michaels? Does that mean that her husband, Gregg, was related to the Michaels family, and thus to Odious? If so, they couldn't have been close relations...
The main story of Mercy, Trent, Eloise, Miles, Georgiana, and Mr. Steele is fascinating. And yet, uneven, too. The author seems to hold back details that might have helped the reader understand the story and the characters better. So much is hinted at, and yet not all of the pieces come together in the end. For example, there's a scene in the middle of the book where one of the "bad guys" is shot while stabbing someone seeking revenge. All we hear is the gunshot, and then all we see is the scene that Mercy sees - gruesome, to be sure. But what really happened? I suppose we can piece it together. And yet, would it have hurt for the author to show us that scene through one of the eyes of one of the people in that room?
The "mystery" involving who is whom among the characters is also not entirely satisfying. There's one character, especially, who comes and goes like a black ghost, and when we finally learn what's going on, it's a bare glimpse - enough to get the gist, but not enough to fill in the blanks.
When I'd finished the book, I wanted so much more! I completely understand withholding the full story until the end of the book, doling it out in pieces. But when I finish a book, I like to have a much better, more solid picture of what I just read. Mercy and Trent made me care about them enormously! And Lucky Island and the girls and Georgiana... what happened? We can put pieces together for Eloise and Miles and Chloe, but there's so much more. I feel as if my DVR cut off the last 20 minutes of a movie! It's frustrating! If I were the sort who didn't usually put things together quickly or didn't almost always solve the whodunnit in the first few chapters of the book, I'd just think that I'd missed something that I should have seen.
But I would definitely give another book by Ms. Tate a try.
November 17, 2012
I love finding a brand new author. Ms. Tate wrote a fun and inventive book with an ambitious plot. The characters, Mercy and Trent, were irresistible from the beginning. I loved Mercy the minute she hit the bad guy over the head. She was a heroine with pluck and determination; not a shrinking violet, by any stretch of the imagination. I LOVED the present day back story and sincerely wish there had been more of it.
As with most of the Indie books available there are some typos and grammatical errors but they didn't distract me from the story. I also wish the back story hadn't been italicized. It made it harder to read. I think the location heading was enough of an indication that the story was moving from 1888 to present day. Also, while another, unfavorable, reviewer mentioned holes in the plot, there is a part of me who thinks/hopes there may be more books linking these characters in the future. Possibly?
*SPOILER ALERT*
As I mentioned before I would have loved more of the back story. But, if you read between the lines, the back story is quite brilliant. The genealogist is a distant cousin by marriage of the husband of the woman she was working for who ends up being a direct descendant of Mercy and Trent! Not to mention the hint that the husband and genealogist may potentially end up together in the end . At least, that's what I've decided. I actually went back over the book and just read the back story again. I seriously wish there had been just a few more details. I'm seriously hoping for more...
As with most of the Indie books available there are some typos and grammatical errors but they didn't distract me from the story. I also wish the back story hadn't been italicized. It made it harder to read. I think the location heading was enough of an indication that the story was moving from 1888 to present day. Also, while another, unfavorable, reviewer mentioned holes in the plot, there is a part of me who thinks/hopes there may be more books linking these characters in the future. Possibly?
*SPOILER ALERT*
As I mentioned before I would have loved more of the back story. But, if you read between the lines, the back story is quite brilliant. The genealogist is a distant cousin by marriage of the husband of the woman she was working for who ends up being a direct descendant of Mercy and Trent! Not to mention the hint that the husband and genealogist may potentially end up together in the end . At least, that's what I've decided. I actually went back over the book and just read the back story again. I seriously wish there had been just a few more details. I'm seriously hoping for more...
December 14, 2011
Book Review STEALING MERCY by Kristy Tate' reviewed by Dolores A McCabe
STEALING MERCY opens with a gripping hook. Mercy is a talented young baker in Victorian England. She is being stalked by the mysterious and sinister Mr. Steele. He breaks into her apartment, murder his intention, and Mercy strikes him with a poker. Not sure whether he was alive or dead, she fled to America, to Seattle, to be exact, where she has relatives. In a short time she meets Trent Michaels and finds herself very attracted to him. However, Mr. Steele is very much alive and reappears in Seattle with his henchmen and a mysterious interest in Lucky Island, a gambling and prostitution retreat where women simply vanish and are never seen again.
Mercy must pursue this mystery and find a lost relative who may be in Mr. Steele's clutches. Will Trent understand and help her? Or will Mr. Steele succeed in "Stealing Mercy?"
This story has a lot of promise. There are some delightful characters and some very sinister ones. The author has a gift for drawing them with quick sketches. I had a little difficulty following the action because the settings were a bit too sparse. More background filler about each character would help, also, in seeing how everyone fits into each others' lives.
Notwithstanding, STEALING MERCY is a fast read and an enjoyable one. We hope to see more from this author as she develops her craft.
STEALING MERCY opens with a gripping hook. Mercy is a talented young baker in Victorian England. She is being stalked by the mysterious and sinister Mr. Steele. He breaks into her apartment, murder his intention, and Mercy strikes him with a poker. Not sure whether he was alive or dead, she fled to America, to Seattle, to be exact, where she has relatives. In a short time she meets Trent Michaels and finds herself very attracted to him. However, Mr. Steele is very much alive and reappears in Seattle with his henchmen and a mysterious interest in Lucky Island, a gambling and prostitution retreat where women simply vanish and are never seen again.
Mercy must pursue this mystery and find a lost relative who may be in Mr. Steele's clutches. Will Trent understand and help her? Or will Mr. Steele succeed in "Stealing Mercy?"
This story has a lot of promise. There are some delightful characters and some very sinister ones. The author has a gift for drawing them with quick sketches. I had a little difficulty following the action because the settings were a bit too sparse. More background filler about each character would help, also, in seeing how everyone fits into each others' lives.
Notwithstanding, STEALING MERCY is a fast read and an enjoyable one. We hope to see more from this author as she develops her craft.
January 24, 2013
I debated about this rating. There were several proofreading errors that I found distracting, but I'll blame that on the editor, even though the author is ultimately responsible for the book. I hope this author will recheck future manuscripts better. That being said, it was a good story.
The language fit the times. I enjoyed the recipe snippets. Good writing where every sentence mattered. There were no parts to skip. I did have to get used to the way understanding of what is going on dawns after some of the story or info is given. The author lets you figure some of it out yourself. Not a bad thing. The past and present parts of the story took some getting used to and late understanding for me. Visually it was set up well, but I wasn't sure what was going on sometimes. Healthy interest kept me going and I enjoyed it overall. Full of action, romance, and the flavor of the late 1800s.
The language fit the times. I enjoyed the recipe snippets. Good writing where every sentence mattered. There were no parts to skip. I did have to get used to the way understanding of what is going on dawns after some of the story or info is given. The author lets you figure some of it out yourself. Not a bad thing. The past and present parts of the story took some getting used to and late understanding for me. Visually it was set up well, but I wasn't sure what was going on sometimes. Healthy interest kept me going and I enjoyed it overall. Full of action, romance, and the flavor of the late 1800s.
January 20, 2012
I really enjoyed the quirky characters in "Stealing Mercy". Mercy was nothing if not determined, and she wasn't about to let anything stand in her way. Since I tend to be rather independent myself, I could relate to her desire to do it all herself.
And poor Trent. He doesn't really know what hits him from the first time he see her in her breeches and knows she's female. She intrigues him, frustrates him with her willfulness and unwillingness to trust him, and she brings out his protectiveness.
The modern-day story that woven in between captivated me. I loved the telling of two stories in two different times, and I'm thrilled to hear the modern story will get more time in Kristy's next book.
Can't wait.
And poor Trent. He doesn't really know what hits him from the first time he see her in her breeches and knows she's female. She intrigues him, frustrates him with her willfulness and unwillingness to trust him, and she brings out his protectiveness.
The modern-day story that woven in between captivated me. I loved the telling of two stories in two different times, and I'm thrilled to hear the modern story will get more time in Kristy's next book.
Can't wait.
December 4, 2012
I would have liked it better if she would have no included the modern widow and her subplot. It took away from the main plot. Beginning with the girl's story, the guy's story, and the present day story made it hard for me to get hooked. He could have been introduced on the ship, and as I stated earlier the present day story went no where so it should have been edited out. These changes wouldn't have affected the overall story and made the beginning much more enjoyable. I liked it really well once I got past the clunky beginning and didn't allow the interrupts of the present day subplot to distract me.
November 26, 2012
Free Kindle.
3.5 stars
The story took me awhile to get the characters straight--going back and forth between generations. It is a historical fiction/romance taking place in 1889 in Seattle. Mercy is trying to shut down a brothel that is frequented by the wealthy, connected men of Seattle. It has a lot of action and suspense. I would have given it 4 stars, if it weren't for the numerous grammar and typo errors throughout. I also would have like to learn what happened to some of the other characters in the epilogue. Otherwise, I great debut book.
3.5 stars
The story took me awhile to get the characters straight--going back and forth between generations. It is a historical fiction/romance taking place in 1889 in Seattle. Mercy is trying to shut down a brothel that is frequented by the wealthy, connected men of Seattle. It has a lot of action and suspense. I would have given it 4 stars, if it weren't for the numerous grammar and typo errors throughout. I also would have like to learn what happened to some of the other characters in the epilogue. Otherwise, I great debut book.
May 14, 2013
I feel like this book, relatively short (approx 200 pages) took me forever to read. I became entraced rather quickly - but it was an involved cozy mystery...lots going on and alot of questions to present and fully answer. Certainly not something you can plow through in a matter of hours as there is thinking involved, which is always a good thing in a decent mystery/romance.
I loved the characters and was actually sorry to see the book end which is something I don't say often.
Definitely a book worthy of your time if you like historical mystery and romance.
I loved the characters and was actually sorry to see the book end which is something I don't say often.
Definitely a book worthy of your time if you like historical mystery and romance.
January 2, 2013
There were two parts to this story; the historical romance was interesting and enjoyable but the present-day story fell flat and disconnected. I liked Mercy's character; her wit, determination, and struggle over her relationship with Trent. I struggled to muddle through the present-day story so I should just leave my comments at that. The historical romance might have rated more stars, but with the present-day distraction added in, this book barely rates 3 in my assessment.
April 27, 2016
I read Beyond the Fortuneteller's Tent and enjoyed it pretty well, so I thought I'd give Stealing Mercy a spin, since the price was right.
It was a historical mystery with some romance thrown in. The mystery turned into a crusade and wanted to be resolved mysteriously, but it's not mysterious when the action jumps around and the reader doesn't get filled in on the details until afterwards. But I enjoyed the characters and the setting was new--1880s Seattle.
It was a historical mystery with some romance thrown in. The mystery turned into a crusade and wanted to be resolved mysteriously, but it's not mysterious when the action jumps around and the reader doesn't get filled in on the details until afterwards. But I enjoyed the characters and the setting was new--1880s Seattle.
November 9, 2012
What does a fireplace poker, pies & chocolates, a brothel, a ship and expensive jewels have in common? Oh, wait--I almost forgot the Chinese throwing stars! Wow--I loved this book! (Yes, that's a recommendation to read it.) I approach free books with a heavy dose of skepticism and if the book is "free/indie"--even more, but I was drawn in immediately--first chapter is a great set up.
November 22, 2012
Only 3.5 stars. The main story with Mercy &Trent is real good and by itself would get a 4.5, but the other story about the widow working on her dead friend's family history didn't need to be. It only gave more pages to the book and was pointless to the story.
January 17, 2013
This book has a great story . . . and so much potential. It does need another round of editing for content accuracy and clarity, but if you're not an editor horse person, you might not notice much. ;o) It's a fun read, and it's free--so go enjoy it!
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Want to read
October 27, 2012Free on Amazon 10/27/2012.
might-read-freebie
November 3, 2012Amazon freebie 11.03.12
June 8, 2015
What did I just read ?
November 27, 2013
Another face paced, quick read that was free from Amazon.com. I enjoyed this book enough that I'll be looking for more from the author.
kindle-i-own-to-read
October 26, 2012Amazon Freebie 10/25/2012
Want to read
October 31, 2012Free 10/30/12 at Amazon
November 3, 2012
Enjoyed the humor. The main characters were right for each other
January 24, 2013
I like a strong female that doesn't need a man to make every decision for her.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews