Sleight of Hand

Stolen Hearts #1

by Kate Kelly

Chance Spencer, doesn't steal. Not anymore.
Suddenly suspected of stealing half a million dollars of original paintings, Chance can't afford to have the FBI delve too closely into his covert past. When one agent in particular endeavors to put him behind bars, Chance coerces the real thief's daughter, Sarah O'Sullivan, into helping him flush her wily father out of hiding. Both want him found. Sarah, to warn her father of Chance's intent to turn him over to the FBI. Chance, to hopefully catch the thief red-handed. To succeed in capturing the thief Chance must keep Sarah close to him. But his plan quickly deteriorates when the stakes for his freedom soar. How can he ruthlessly use the woman with whom he's falling in love?

Sarah O'Sullivan is also looking for her father, but for different reasons. With her best friend getting married, Sarah realizes she's alone in the world and needs her family. That would be her father, who has been absent most of her boarding-school life. When Chance arrives in New York to inform her he's going after her father, Sarah follows him to Canada, hoping to warn him before Chance or the FBI find him. But living in close proximity with Chance, Sarah soon starts falling in love with him. She struggles with her divided loyalties as the FBI and the local police close in for an arrest. Someone has to be arrested for the theft. Chance or her father?

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Ebooks, Suspense, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2011

About the author

Kate Kelly has had a love affair with books her entire life. Writing came in fits and starts, and she didn’t take it seriously until her forties. Now she can’t get along without it. She has finaled in the RWA Golden Heart and has been the recipient of the RWA Daphne du Maurier award. She has the good fortune to live on the east coast of Canada with her husband (the children have flown away). She writes, grow herbs and perennials and sails when the wind blows her way.

Reviews

[_yay_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This copy was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kindle Edition, published September 5th, 2011
Kate Kelly

Chance Spencer’s only goal is to finally find the one person that dominates his every thought. His need for revenge so strong he doesn’t hesitate to involve the man’s daughter. O’Sullivan is a cunning art thief and his offspring Sarah might be able to flush her dad out of the woodwork. With the FBI hot on Chance’s heels (not entirely unjustified), he has no time to lose. It throws a major wedge in his plans when the woman turns out to be not only beautiful (that he could handle), but also headstrong. Danger! Danger!
Chance isn’t sure what the future will hold. Behind bars or freedom? Either way, a happily ever after it surely won’t be. Not for him.

I don’t think I have ever read a novel set in Canada about the art world. This combination alone had me pausing; then wringing my hands in anticipation. Original and fresh - a great idea. Instantly, I found myself in the middle of it all, yet wasn’t quite sure how it all fit together. The theft of priceless art, a surprise for the FBI, and flash forward...the heroine arriving in a small town in nowhere Canada. Surprisingly I didn’t mind the lack of explanation. In fact, it was rather engaging to put bits and pieces together to get the whole picture. It made for an interesting introduction to the storyline, and mirrored the heroine’s predicament. She followed her instincts, but had no idea what would happen or whom she could trust.

Sarah wasn’t at all what Chance expected her to be like. In all honesty, at first I was a little worried about having a shy, naive, squeamish puppy on my hand. Thank heavens she showed me what’s what. It took her a while to realize she could play Chance like a violin, but it never was an uneven playing field. She was unsure of his intentions, while he was scared shitless of her. Why? She might not have noticed right away, but boy...what a talent to sneak past his defences and leave him vulnerable. I loved that!

Kelly created a heroine with the ability to care. And she did. Deeply – about her best friends happiness (even though it left her feeling all alone in the world), about her father (who might or might not be a criminal), and about Chance (a guy she practically knew nothing about). Women should relay on their intuition more often, for it rarely fails completely. I couldn’t have been happier that Sarah listened to the voice that told her a certain grumpy, gruff-voiced, hot-blooded male would be worth getting to know.

However, she never lost sight of the fact that their reasons for wanting to find her father were different. A decision for or against one of the people she holds dear to her heart loomed on the horizon.

And Chance? What a delight to see him squirm under Sarah’s gaze. More than once I had to keep myself from laughing out loud at his trains of thought. Make that train wrecks of thought! There was a lot about him to discover. Why so determined to catch old O’Sullivan? The possibility of Chance’s past catching up with him was hovering over his head guillotine-style. He needed saving just as much as Sarah. In my opinion they were a perfect match.
Chance Spencer the perfect guy? Not by a long shot! His imperfections were what attracted me to him. He basically had a Black Friday shopping cart full of issues. *Raiseshand* I’ll take him home with me – free of charge!

The one problem I have - albeit a significant one - is that the book is being marketed as romantic suspense. It has elements of suspense, but I don’t see it as a full blown romantic suspense novel. As much as I was excited about the art theft theme, the realization didn’t live up to my expectations. I’m sure lots of research has been done, it just felt like not enough ended up being implemented into the story – didn’t enrich the plot in a way that would have had me drawing a comparison to the likes of Pamela Clare or Suzanne Brockmann. They always incorporate useful information about whichever “trade” they’re writing about into their books.

Also, the suspense was spread really thin. Random acts of suspense probably describe the experience best. It didn’t feel “well enough” thought through. While the development of the main character’s relationship engrossed my completely, I was a tad bored waiting for something exciting to happen. Or maybe I’m just spoiled thanks to some serious overexposure to the art world (compliments of Daniel Silva and his Israeli spy turned art restorer).

All of the secondary characters lacked depths, and in turn that made it impossible for me to care enough to dig for the thrill-switch. Even though the pace picked up speed in the end, I wasn’t all that interested in who had forced whom to do what and why.
My eyes were on Chance and Sarah. I was waiting for the outcome to their attachment. Lie! Not just waiting. I was rooting for them big time.

Good thing I love a good relationship-centred contemporary romance with a splash of suspense thrown into the mix. I’ll guarantee you’ll adore Chance and Sarah, and the impact they had on each other’s lives. 3 stars to Sleight of Hand by Kate Kelly.

Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° “He looked like the devil’s own son; like he knew what it was to walk on the dark side and loved every minute of it.”
° “Chance Spencer was a dead man if she didn’t find any coffee in the kitchen.”
° “Everyone had someone, right? Family marked your place in the world. She blinked back her tears.”
° “Chance was like a big ball of secrets. She didn’t know which string to pull to start unravelling the truth.”
° “...anyone gets too close, you pull out your I-dance-alone number and waltz them out the door.”

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I debated between 1 and 2 stars. The plot was kinda ridiculous -- neither main character ever had a single non-sexual thought expressed no matter what life-threatening or intense circumstances were going on around them. The author did do a good job of character development, but she needs an editor who understands pronoun case (who/ whom and I/me) and verb tense (lie/lay conjugations and use of past participles.) The plural of pellet is pellets, not pellet's. She also needs a proofreader who can catch simple typographical errors (nibble instead of nipple; met instead of meet, breathe instead of breath, repeated words, etc.) Just for the record, there were also a couple of malapropisms and/or misused words that a good writer or editor would have corrected before publication (racketing instead of ratcheting; tapping instead of tamping.)

[Trudi Jorda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chance Spencer, doesn't steal. Not anymore.
Suddenly suspected of stealing half a million dollars of original paintings, Chance can't afford to have the FBI delve too closely into his covert past. Chance coerces the real thief's daughter, Sarah O'Sullivan, into helping him flush her wily father out of hiding. Both want him found. Sarah, to warn her father of Chance's intent to turn him over to the FBI. There are many people after these paintings and it is up to Chase to stop them or possibly be blamed for the theft himself!
A bit too much melodrama for my taste but the premise is a good one. Interesting heros and Villans abound in this tale of love and mystery.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these kinds of stories where love grows from a situation that neither person really wants to be in.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sleight of Hand, the first book in the Stolen Hearts series by Kate Kelly, brought a smile of recognition to my face from the very first page. Not just because Chance Spencer reminds me, just a little, of John Smythe, who drives Vicky Bliss to distraction in Elizabeth Peters' series. But mostly because I've been to the Gardiner Musem. The real one. It's the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the theft occurred in 1990, and the crime is still unsolved. The spaces where those 13 paintings used to hang are still empty. The image sticks with you, so updating that crime and using it as the basis for Simple Simon was simply brilliant.

In this story, Chance Spencer's father was the curator of the Gardiner Museum when a similar crime took place. Chance's response to his father's subsequent suicide was to go on a one-man reverse crime spree, stealing the paintings back from the black market collectors who purchased the hot properties. As the infamous art thief "Simple Simon," Chance robbed the robbers, then dropped the paintings off in FBI offices all over the US. He was notorious, but he never profited from his "talent". The FBI was certain Chance was the guilty party, but they had no hard evidence. Chance was very careful--until he met Sarah O'Sullivan.

Patrick O'Sullivan was Chance's business partner. Now Patrick is missing, along with several original pieces of art. Chance is certain that Patrick will contact his daughter, and Chance needs to find Patrick--before the FBI figures out a way to blame him for the crime. Chance knows the FBI would just love to get him for art theft, and as far as the Feds are concerned one art theft is just as good as another if Chance is close enough to it.

So Chance lures Sarah to Ashley Cove, Nova Scotia with the bait that her father has been near that small town. Chance starts out wanting to find his partner to get the FBI off his back before they find out all his secrets. Sarah wants to find her father to warn him that the FBI is after him. Neither of them count on Ashley Cove Art Museum hosting an Ansel Adams traveling art exhibition, or that it houses the collection of some local grand masters. Add in a visit from Chance's "favorite" FBI agent, Sarah's stalker from New York, and even more art thieves, and you have a recipe for more trouble than Ashley Cove has ever seen.

As Chance and Sarah discover that they have only each other to count on, is it any wonder that they are unable to resist their attraction for one another? Even though Chance believes that he can't possibly be worthy of a woman like Sarah, and in spite of Sarah being sure that Chance is just another rambling man like her father.

Escape Rating B: There were a lot of things about this story that I liked. Chance was looking for redemption, and was afraid to let anyone close until he found it. Sarah was looking for a family, because no one ever stayed with her. The one element I didn't get was why her dad didn't make a home with her, even if it meant traveling a lot, since at the end you find out it wasn't money. There's a piece of that story missing.

Adapting the story from the real Gardner Museum was cool. It added some deep background. I know that story has been used before, and will be again, but that's okay. Sometimes the truth really is stranger than fiction.

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:
Chance has one purpose in his life at this point...stay out of jail. A Harvard law student who graduated at the top of his class eight years ago, his life took a turn that he never expected. He's done things that he's not proud of, but he had his reasons for doing them. He's extremely smart and methodical, but when it comes to Sarah, he loses all perspective.


This is a suspense novel, but for me the suspense came from Chance rather than the stolen art story line. The reasoning behind all his actions are never fully laid out, so for me, I kept reading to figure out exactly what he had done and why. When it all came to light, I think I loved him even more. This is a man who, when he cares, he cares deeply.


Sarah is simply trying to find her father. Her best friend has just gotten married and she's come to realize what all she's missed without having her father in her life. She follows Chance up to Canada to do just that, but she doesn't realize that he actually tricked her. He wanted her to come so that she would draw her father out. I liked Sarah. She's recently discovered what's missing from her life and isn't afraid to go after it. Even when Chance is pushing her away, she sticks to him and her plan for helping her father. She isn't going to be forced into abandoning either one of them.


Carrying the story completely is the romance and chemistry between Chance and Sarah. They need each other although they definitely don't realize it at first. They both have these little vulnerabilities that just made me love them. I liked them together and I liked the setting of this little Canadian town. This is a small town with the quirks and characters that you expect to find. The snowy wintry weather and setting makes for great romantic ambiance.


There were a few holes within the story line that I didn't feel were sufficiently answered, but overall I enjoyed the story enough to make up for that fact. One of the interesting side characters in this story is the FBI agent, Gage, who is tracking Chance in the hopes of catching him when he screws up. I was excited when I realize he is the hero in book #2 in this series.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good character-driven story, and I was not disappointed in Sleight of Hand. The chemistry between Chance and Sarah starts with an angry spark as Chance's scheme to get her involved in finding her father brings her hundreds of miles from home to a small Canadian town in winter, and slowly builds as we watch these characters grow and understand how much they need each other. The cabin setting was charming, the snowy weather dreadful, and the bad guys dangerous.
Chance Spencer, in trying to vindicate his father's supposed crime, became an art thief, stealing back paintings that went missing while his father was the curator of the Gardiner Museum, a crime which resulted in his father's suicide. He didn't keep the art; he returned it anonymously to the FBI one piece at a time. The FBI had their suspicions but not enough hard evidence to prove Chance was the thief, and wanted him no matter what his motive. Chance was very cold and calculating and was executing a solid plan that was working until he involved Sarah O'Sullivan, a woman who eased the anger in him and stirred his heart.
Chance fights the attraction knowing he may wind up in prison and viewing her as a spoiled rich girl. Sarah sees him as a loner and a man who leaves, just like her father. Yet there is a deeper side to each, a reason for their masks that only an open heart can expose.
As people go missing or end up dead, Chance and Sarah realize they can only count on each other. Redemption, family values, regrets, and revenge all intertwine to create a very satisfying read. – Jody E. Lebel, Author of Playing Dead

[Lesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving this book 2 stars is probably being generous, but I just couldn't feel a lot of love for this book. I bought this on Nook and it's a Smashwords book - something is lost in translation. The book itself has no concept of spacing - especially for scene changes. The next paragraph immediately starts and it's confusing until you realize there should have been a space to denote the change. Lots of spelling errors and grammatical issues as well. My personal favorite was when the heroine licks his "nibbles". I'm giggling just typing that...

I also didn't think there was a good buildup of the characters and their introductions. The book begins with Sarah arriving in Canada chasing Chance, but I don't think the mystery overall was well handled? Why did she follow him there? How was he connected to the father? And who were all the criminals in the end. I felt like I came in in the middle of something without the benefit of background. She also talks about some characters like we should know them (like Steve). The ending was sort of abrupt and too tidy too.

I read the prequel to this series and this book, but I was unimpressed with both. I had hoped we'd have some tie in to the prequel since the ending was rather abrupt and bizarre. There was no mention of any of those characters except to see Gage again. So, overall I'll probably only continue on with this series if I have nothing else to read.

[Redheads Review it Better · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what I loved the most about this story? The characters we extremely believable. Take Sarah for example, she has a father who worked all the time and even though she knew he loved her, it wasn't enough and between that and her family, it left her feeling insecure. I also loved that she was willing to step up and try to protect Chance when the time came about. She is the perfect combo that makes me love her character.

Let's not forget about the mysterious Chance. Throughout the book you have your suspicions about his past but then you look at his attributes and think, no, he couldn't have done that. Calculating, sexy, mysterious, and protective, Chance throws off 'bang me now' like you wouldn't believe. Well, I guess that was the vibe I was getting from him. Everything about him made me want to make him mine. Even after we find out he deepest secret, I felt he was still a great male. My question is, why do men always try to fight what they are feeling? Like how freaked he was when he found Sarah in a compromising situation. You could tell that he cared deeply about her and made sure to take good care of her but would turn around and basically tell her he was not the settling down type. Men. *throws hands in the air* At least they usually come around at the end. :)

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

SLEIGHT OF HAND is the story of one woman's search for the only family she has: her father. Sarah O'Sullivan spent her life in expensive boarding schools and never made any real relations. Now, with school over and her best friend settling down, she's on her own. Chance is a thief with a long history who wants to clear his name.

While the characters were well defined and enjoyable, I found that the novel moved slowly. Sarah finds herself falling for Chance but then reminds herself that she is only with him to find her father. Chance is a loner and prefers it that way, so he refuses to admit his feelings for Sarah. If the author had told the reader this once (or, better yet, shown it), that would have sufficed. Instead, Sarah's refusal to get involved with Chance and Chance's commitment to remain a loner were repeated nearly every time they touched. Still, the unspoken feelings the two have for each other keep the reader wondering if things will work out.

I appreciate the author's commitment to family. Sarah only wants to reunite with her father, and Chance slowly realizes that maybe there's more to life than being on his own.

[Urbanfaerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, i was excited to read the book after reading the prequel to the series. I was not disappointed. The story was quite romantic without it being too sappy (which i LOVED), with characters you can invest in. I also love how the pace was set, and how each character was built up. It's always great to come across a book that engages you, and i found myself caught up in the action. Sarah and Chance's story was very sweet, and their adventure was a fun read, so much so that i caught myself smiling a lot as i was going through the book. I'm looking forward to reading the next one in this series.

[Lynz Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I believe I found it on bookbubs for free and I am always looking for a good romantic suspense book. So many are labeled that way but don't have a good story line.

There's more to Chance than meets the eye and you have to wonder who exactly he is. I know there was more than once where I was completed off base on everything and that includes Simple Simon. I would have liked to know more of the back story between Chance and when he worked with Sarah's dad but it was still a good story.

I am looking forward to reading the next book.

[Jen_C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Would be a 4 star read with a good editor. I think the author has potential. I would like to see the backstory and motives fleshed out a bit more and in a more linear fashion. I was never clear on who Derek was to Sarah exactly. I also did not like Sarah having a TSTL moment. Her choice of how to try and save her father and Chance and the wine trick was obvious and stupid. I did like the characters relationship although it developed at warp speed.

[Lynn]

I expected a lot of suspense with a small romantic component/side story. This story was more romance with a small suspense component. Because of the expectations I had going in it made it not as good for me since it was not what I was in the mood for. I think it goes to expectations and this book could be enjoyable for those who are looking for more romance.

[Brandi Reeves-Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anticipation, suspense, action and two people fighting their feelings is what makes this book a great read! The characters made the story and I thought that they worked well together even though they both fought their feelings. This was a great read and was full of twists and turns! I cannot wait to start book 2 in this series!

[Juliette Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a unique read for me. When I first started reading it, I wasn’t sure how I felt about either one of the characters. Read the rest of this review here: http://paperbacksandfrosting.com

[Autumn Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute romance novel. Well, novella, but still cute. No BDSM (but that's okay) and just suspenseful enough to keep me from putting the book down. There were a few times the book dragged a little but overall it was a good read. A fresh break from the usual Harlequin types.

[Patti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Art theft and betrayal

Chance is a thief "simple Simon" and he has been set up. In return he has to set up another thief O'Sullivan to take the fall. The problem is that he likes O'Sullivan and loves his daughter. Pretty good plot but the tension is forced.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read

Fast paced story and a quick read. Loveable hero and heroine. Would have probably given it 4 points except the grammatical and typing errors were distracting. I will read more by this author.

[Wminbc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, fun read...could have had some more loving...but still like able leads and excited for Agent Gage's story.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Loved it from beginning to end!

[Sibylla Matilde]

99 cents on Amazon today!

[Sara Tieszen paschal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this the characters were believable right from the start. I loved the suspense scattered just so throughout. Bottom line, I loved it and will read the entire series;)

[Kathy Buhler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story and love the characters.... I couldn't put the book down...It's definitely a must read book.

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book confused me so much, especially in the beginning.

[Black Butterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

KIND OF REPETITIVE BUT NOT A BAD READ. MILDLY SEXUAL, MORE OF A MYSTERY. ;)

[Shelley Des Forges · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read this author again :)

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book and am looking forward to reading more from Kate Kelly