Love Among Thieves

by Katrina Kwan

Billions of dollars on the line. One irresistible distraction.

Adelina Choi is a hacker with a heart of gold and a talent for emptying bank accounts. An MIT dropout with Robin Hood tendencies, she funnels cash from greedy marks to those who need it most. It’s a simple gig . . . until she targets the wrong man.

West is a retired conman-turned-single-dad who catches Adelina in the act. But instead of turning her in, he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Help him pull off the ultimate heist—stealing billions from an Italian crime boss—and she’ll walk away with an equal cut of the money. The catch? She has to play nice with his eccentric team of thieves.

Dangerous? Absolutely. Tempting? Even more so, because West is infuriatingly charming and impossible to ignore. And as the job heats up, so does the tension between them. Can Adelina keep her head in the game, or will her feelings for her partner-in-crime blow the whole plan sky-high?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

Paperback

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

Follow Katrina Kwan on Instagram for updates on her latest books.

Reviews

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Among Thieves
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑

⋆⭒˚.⋆ ❝ If you kiss me, I want to see stars. ❞

💻་༘࿐ Adelina Choi sees herself as a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the wealthy to help those in need. When West Porter discovers that his account has been hacked and the rightful owner of the funds calls him to address the issue, he realizes he must confront his troubled past. It's high time to reunite his crew and pay a visit to the hacker, QWERTY, with a business proposal they won’t be able to refuse.

Release Date: May 12, 2026 ⟢

⌞ What To Expect: ⌝
⌗ Robin Hood Heist
⌗ Hacker x (former) Con Man
⌗ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
⌗ Speaks French to you while ...

𓏲⋆🕶️* This was such a fun and cute read! I went in wanting a heist and a sweet romance, and it definitely delivered. Consider me a new fan of Katrina Kwan, whose writing style is so easy to read and digest. I'm a sucker for the grumpy x sunshine trope, and the heist element raised the stakes, adding an exciting layer to the story.

❝ The combination of her flat hair and wrinkled hoodie, and the dark circles under her eyes, delights me to no end. She reminds me so much of a grumpy Doberman. ❞ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ໒

𓏲⋆🐱.* Adelina Choi: As an Asian academic, I could relate to Adelina in many ways, especially with the constant pressure and criticism her mother gave her after her father's passing. Although I thought that there were some moments where she had selfish thoughts, she definitely made up for it midway and remained consistent until the end of the book.

⟡ ݁₊ . ❝ Whatever higher power there may be, they clearly have a favorite among mortals—and that would be Westley fucking Porter. ❞

𓏲⋆🐶.* West Porter: He is a freaking dream. West brought so much fun to the story that I have nothing but good things to say about this man. He loves to tease, people naturally fall for his charm and loving uncle! I am so down for him.

I found myself breezing through the pages and feeling giddy about the romance blossoming between Adelina and West. Although the romance developed quickly, both characters were so charming that they complemented each other's strengths and weaknesses perfectly, which made me overlook that aspect. Overall, this book exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait to explore more of Katrina Kwan's works!

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚ ❝ Has she always been this beautiful? Adelina is very much like the night sky. Dark and cold and something to be wary of. But when she smiles like this, it’s like gazing at the dawn, when the first golden rays peek out from behind the horizon to show you that there was never anything to fear. That the night sky can bring with it its own quiet splendor. ❞

✶⋆.°

pre-read : I AM SCREAMING. i love a good black cat and golden retriever trope!! reading this with my arc buddy, bestie joni *‧.₊˚*੭*ˊᵕˋ੭.*

[joni ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.25 stars

✧˖°🩷 ⋆｡˚꩜ tropes & things to expect
⤷ single dad
⤷ secret identity
⤷ slow burn
⤷ heist with benefits
⤷ he falls first
⤷ modern day robin hood
⤷ black cat x golden retriever
⤷ she's a hacker

out now!!


oh my gosh. i ate this uppppp!!!!!!

this was my second book by katrina and she's now an auto-read author of mine! the story was very fast paced and easily bingeable, i found myself speeding through the pages and enjoying the character development! west and adelina fit so well, they both didn't want to get attached and the "just for the mission" friends with benefits situation was obviously failing, him pushing past her walls and wanting to be there and understand her was really beautiful.

i could relate to her being from an immigrant family in canada, not being able to speak my mother tongue fluently and struggling to keep up with cousins and family, this isn't a topic many people choose to write about and i really appreciate katrina for diving into this topic, it hit really close to home.

jf you're a fan of black cat x golden retriever, women in stem (she's a hacker!), and fast paced stories with heists – i would definitely recommend this book!!

another day, another arc read with my friend justine <3 !!! 4th br in the last month 🤭 look at us go!




thank you random house canada for the physical advanced copy!

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

i am a sucker for a good heist book and this was so, so much fun!! a modern day robin hood romance that takes place in france?? yeah, say less.

this was fast paced, atmospheric, full of banter, and action packed. i really enjoyed adelina as a main character and, although tough to read about, i appreciated how the author handled her relationship with her mother. i also loved west and absolutely ate up the way he relentlessly and shamelessly flirted with adelina throughout. their romance was witty and sweet and i loved how they came together.

the heist aspect of this was great, though i would have liked even more details surrounding everything because i devour a heist story every single time. the setting was perfect and being in france contributed to the classic vibe that comes to mind when yoi think about a heist movie.

i will say that the romance could have been a bit more developed. also, the grand finale scene at the end felt a bit rushed, a tad corny, and not very believable. with that being said, i still really enjoyed this one.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating 4.25 ⭐

Tropes:
Hacker FMC x Ex-conman MMC
Heist with benefits
Black cat x golden retriever
Single dad (he’s a guardian)
He falls first
Set in Vancouver and France

If you love heist movies such Ocean’s Eleven and the Italian Job, then you’ll love this book. I have never read a heist romcom before and this book was so much fun!

Adelina is a pro now hacking into the bank accounts of the wealthy and giving away the money to local charities. When she targets West, this time she gets caught. Instead of turning her in, her makes her an offer to help him pull off a heist!

I loved Adelina. She’s intelligent (our girl studied Computer Science at MIT) and kind hearted. She was dealing with some complex family dynamics. As a daughter of immigrants myself, I could relate to Adeline having to face this pressure to succeed academically and making a career choice that her parents would approve. West was really charming and dealing with grief, while caring for his adorable niece.

Adelina and West had amazing chemistry and the black cat and golden retriever trope was well done in this book! Their banter was top notch! There were so many twists and turns in the story that I couldn’t put the book down and I finished reading it in one day!

Consider me a fan of Katrina Kwan’s writing now and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted ARC copy.

[snazzy pen ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Current rating: 4-4.25 stars!

This was such a great, fast-paced read! I would definitely have read this in two sittings, but I was busy, so I ended up stretching my reading over the course of a month.

I was quickly hooked from the first page and was very reluctant to put this down when I realized that I actually needed to be productive. I really enjoyed the humour, and the chapter titles were such a nice touch. Both Adelina and West's POV chapters were equally entertaining, meaning I didn't look forward to one over the other, something I yearn for when reading a book with multiple POVs.

The romance development felt relatively natural, and I loved how much they supported one another. Their scenes together were wonderful, and the banter was so fun! I was suddenly glad that I could understand French because...

As for the heist itself, it was really a fun time! Meeting the rest of the crew, scheming, executing the plans, twist + turns + obstacles in the way, etc were all aspects I enjoyed and haven't been able to find in a heist novel for a while. Kwan's writing keeps you engrossed, and I found myself immersed to the point I could clearly see scenes playing out in my head, which made me think that this would make such a cool movie!

Thank you to the author and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heist romance was so freaking good!! From the characters to the plot to the spice, there was so much to love about Love Among Thieves.

Let’s first talk about my girl, Adelina. I loved how she was a woman in male dominated fields: both tech and thieving. She absolutely rocked it in both…until that one time she got caught, but we’ll get to that! I loved her whole Robin Hood vibes of stealing from the mega wealthy and giving to charities, living a very modest life herself. I loved how generous and non-judgmental she was of those who were not as fortunate. I definitely think this was due to her father’s great influence on her before he passed, as well as her having to go no contact with her mother due to her judgmental ways. I also loved how relatable she was, knowing that she could do what she could but still getting giddy over being able to hahaha she was definitely a badass and had every right to be proud and think she was cool.

I absolutely loved West!! At first glance he was a suave and charming man who could flirt the pants off a nun (do nun’s wear pants?), but once you got to know him you realized he had so much tormenting him behind his facade. I loved both aspects of his personality, the shameless flirt and the man trying to right past wrongs. I felt this made him an incredibly complex character and much more than just another “pretty boy”. I loved him speaking in French and all of his dirty talk! I especially loved how caring he was with Adelina when he learned about her terrible first and last experience in the bedroom…and boy did he make up for it…over and over again!!

I adored their “meet-cute” of her stealing from “him” and then him breaking into her apartment to basically blackmail her into doing a big heist with him. Ahhhhh good times!

Circling back to the no contact family situation, the book explored various family dynamics and tensions between the two MCs that were incredibly relatable and not always sunny. Adelina had lost her father, had no relationship with her mother after being subject to her abuse, and had a less than perfect relationship with her sister (though they did try and were always there for each other at the end of the day). West was a single guardian to his niece, a precocious six year old, after losing the last of his family. We saw West juggle the heist and checking in with Jacks, and we also saw him struggle with some pretty heavy emotions later in the book when some stuff came to light that I won’t be telling you about! Happiness mixed with grief mixed with a sense of how his family unit would work going forward. I’m telling you, this man in complex!

I need the romance that I think I saw at the end of the book between her identical twin Lily and…someone to come to fruition! I haven’t heard anything about a second book for this series, so maybe this will just live on in my head lol

Thank you to Katrina Kwan and Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC! The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.

4.5 stars!

[gracie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was genuinely going so well until I read the phrase "turning my brain off" in reference to her giving him a blowjob and it just couldn't be saved from then on. I wish authors would discover the word 'relax' again instead of constantly reinforcing misogynistic phrasing.

[Sol✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Katrina Kwan, and Penguin Random House Canada for access to this advanced reader's copy of Love Among Thieves. This is my unbiased and honest review.

---
"So this is what it looks like when a man is clinging to the last remnants of his sanity. It never occurred to me just how powerful I could feel while on my knees, but now that I know, it's an addictive sensation."
---

I never thought I would daydream about what it would take to act as a virtual Robinhood, but consider me invested. Deeply.

Adelina Choi is, by all accounts, a good person. She's smart, she adores her twin sister, and she spends her days putting her tech knowledge toward investing in local charities. The only problem is that she's investing money she stole from the rich, and it was only a matter of time before that landed her in hot water. Thankfully, she's caught by West, a conman who needs her help to pull off the ultimate heist: stealing Adelina's heart--(ahem)--I mean, his Italian crime boss's fortune.

Adelina and West are a matchmade in a gambler's den. Their romance is wrought with high-stakes bets and big payoffs, but the risk is what makes their relationship so interesting. Adelina and West's mutual distrust for each other had me wrapped around Love Among Thieves' bejeweled pinky finger. They're snarky with each other, delivering some of the most scathingly hysterical flirting I've seen in contemporary romance. I don't know how many times I yelled "KISS" only for something to come along and mess it all up. Leave it to Lady Luck to be a massive tease, I suppose.

I absolutely loved the setting of this story. France is a truly iconic location for a heist, and I loved the way it tied back to West's history and Adelina's propensity for feeling out of place. Plus, all of the French used in the book added a certain je nais se quois that made the story so easy to get lost in. Despite the picturesque setting, the stakes in this story were astronomical. It wasn't just money on the line. It was feelings and hearts and, yes, lives. Kwan evokes a sense of realness to the plot through a complicated exploration of grief, culture, and familial expectations that added depth to an otherwise flirtatious (and dangerous) meet-cute.

It would be wrong of me not to mention the actual romance in this book. West is a proper gentleman despite some of the things he'll mutter into an ear behind closed doors. Adelina is a soft and shy but knows what she deserves. When they collide, it's not fireworks or an avalanche, but something much more natural and fluid, like light bleeding into a dark room. Their chemistry is undeniable and the way they care for each other (even when they are actively resisting the urge to care) is truly heartwarming.

This is my first book by Katrina Kwan, but Love Among Thieves was an absolutely exquisite blend of high-stakes action, searing romance, and banter to (almost literally) die for. I can't wait to see more from Kwan in the rom-com space!

[Abi_reads_and_scribbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sacré bleu! My first 5 star book for May.

Adelina Choi is a whip smart, sarcastic hacker. She keeps to herself, takes what she wants, when she wants. Unfortunately, Addy's latest hack ends up taking $250 k from a corrupt King pin named Berruci. Oopsies. Unfortunately, West manages the laundering fund for Berruci, his boss. Tasked with finding out what happened, West has to come out of hiding, use his previously shady skills to bring Adelina to Berruci for punishment. Except, West has other ideas up his sleeve.

I ate this up, I binged through this in a couple of days. I'm convinced Addy and I have the same Asian mother, though mine isn't as harsh, I loved that we got Addy's history and complex family relationships. Only Katrina could create a blonde MMC I actually adore. West is such a loveable golden retriever. Wink wink. You know he's putting those hands to work. Their chemistry was fantastic. The plot reminded me of the movie Hackers. Prime Angelina. I love a good heist, and I've never wanted to sign up for Duolingo faster.

Highly recommend if you want a fun, bingeable romance.

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the arc

Rating: 5 🥐
Release date: May 12

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to Random House Canada and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Review: An exhilarating, spicy heist romance!

“Love Among Thieves” follows Adelina Choi, a hacker with Robin Hood tendencies, after she targets the wrong man. Instead of turning her in, West, a retired conman-turned-single-dad, makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Help him pull off the ultimate heist and she’ll walk away with an equal cut of the money. As the job heats up, so does the tension between them.

Kwan’s action-packed, fast-paced romantic thriller drew me in from the very first page! The cleverly written twists had me on the edge of my seat as the stakes heightened with each chapter. I particularly enjoyed the compelling dynamics between the crew members as they navigated their contrasting personalities to get the job done.

Adelina and West definitely steal the show with their entertaining banter and sizzling chemistry! The two could not be more different, but the heist is what ultimately brings them together. Initially, Adelina was determined to keep West at arm’s length, but it is impossible not to develop a soft spot for him! As the novel progresses, forced proximity and stifling tension transform their reluctant partnership into something more. Along the way, both characters grapple with their own family drama, but seemed to grow from it with the support of each another. They complement each other perfectly and the spice is oh so good as a result. All in all, Kwan’s signature blend of humor and heat make this a must-read!

➤ 4.25 stars

Review cross-posted to: Book Blog | Bookstagram | Amazon

[bookedinthepnw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Among Thieves by Katrina Kwan is a thrilling STEM romance with a sexy green flag single dad French MMC who will make you swoon. Add in a badass MIT-dropout hacker FMC who is a modern day Robin Hood - stealing money for a good cause, plans for a big heist, and some action-packed scenes along the way, and you’re in for a guaranteed good time.

I loved the dynamic between Adelina and West, as well as the relationship between Adelina and her twin sister Lily. However, I have to say that their mom absolutely blows 🙄. I’m glad that West was able to stand up for Adelina!

Read for:
👩🏻‍💻 Single dad
👩🏻‍💻 Eldest daughter vibes
👩🏻‍💻 Attagirl
👩🏻‍💻 East Asian FMC
👩🏻‍💻 Action romance
👩🏻‍💻 Heist
👩🏻‍💻 French MMC
👩🏻‍💻 Conman x hacker
👩🏻‍💻 STEM romance
👩🏻‍💻 Damsel in distress MMC

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loveeee a heist but unfortunately this book/the pacing was too slow for me.

What I liked:
- a heist story overall
- hacker fmc
- strong writing style

What didn’t quite work for me:
- family drama
- Wests banter was a bit overboard at times (I did giggle at some though!!)
- the team wasn’t a found family/a rag tag group - it was really small
- pacing was very slow
- French being the love language. I’m sorry but my family speaks French so I could not get into the romance of it
- the story took a direction I wasn’t expecting and wasn’t sure I really loved

[Nae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Genres, settings, categories, themes: romantic suspense, contemporary romance (M/F), heist, suspense/thriller, Robin Hood, Vancouver, France (primarily Nice)

💗 Tropes: 💗
> Grumpy x sunshine (sub-trope of Opposites Attract)
> Thief / Heist
> Unexpected Parenthood/Guardianship
all about tropes here

POV: 1st person, alternating/dual

Series/Sequencing Style: standalone, no cliffhanger

Format: ebook (e-ARC)

🔽🔽🔽

Overall ratings

Heat level: 🌶 3/5 spicy seduction 🌶
(from Ampersand’s guide to heat levels in romance novels – (0) sweet, (1) mild sizzle, (2) sensual steam, (3) spicy seduction, (4) red hot, (5) erotic)

~ Heroine/FMC (Adelina) ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Hero/MMC (West) ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Other characters ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Plot ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Pacing ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Romance ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Writing ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Reading enjoyability & fun ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

~ Depth & tone (1 light & fun --> 5 more serious, addresses heavier topics?): 1
~ Diversity & representation: Chinese-Canadian FMC, French MMC, interracial relationship
~ Angst level: 2/5
~ Annoying 3rd act breakup? no
~ Sadness level: 1/5

🔽🔽🔽

❗CW/Triggers:❗beating, death of a parent (historic, but discussed on page), emotional abuse by a parent, guns, gunshot wound, mafia/mobster, parental estrangement

🔽🔽🔽

📝 Review/Notes 📝

Quick descriptors: An angry, Robin Hood, brilliant hacker FMC + a charming, French hottie MMC <3 International travel, fast pacing, easy to devour, with fun & heat.

From The Italian Job being my favorite movie, to the primary genre that turned me into a hardcore reader being romantic suspense, this book was basically written for me. Being everything I love, I’m really glad Kristina Kwan delivered! Moral thieves, MCs with chemistry, a heist in France, a cute romance, heat, and a fun time.

Loved this one, no notes.

🔽🔽🔽

🤠 Recommended for: anyone who loves romantic suspense; fans of The Italian Job

[FER · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE AMONG THIEVES is a sensational action-packed romance. Adelina is a hacker with a heart of gold, relieving the rich and the corrupt of just enough money to support herself and her community, but not draw the need for investigation. Until she steals from a major international crime boss that sends his fix-it man after her. West is tasked with retrieving the stolen money or to bring in the thief for "a talk". Instead, he sees an opportunity to get out of the game for good and recruits Adelina for a heist that will set them all up for life.

The partnership of Adelina and West is the absolute best. Their chemistry is instant. They both give "gifted child" energy and need someone to be their equal, to push them, to challenge them. He'll bait her with his charming flirtations. She'll squash his heart. He'll beg for more. It's wild to think Adelina and West can find time for romance while plotting a 50 billion dollar heist, but they are at their best. Adelina is so engrossed in the job that she lets down her emotional armor. West feels safe to be his authentic self after wearing the conman mask for so long. It was the easiest thing to understand how they fell in love even when the stakes are so high.

The heist is also plotted and paced to perfection. A blend of old and new faces have to learn how to work together. Setbacks allow Adelina and West to show off their compatibility. The tension builds and builds and builds until it's finally “go time”. The ending is so thrilling with twists you'll have to read for yourself.

I highly recommend LOVE AMONG THIEVES for its heartfelt adventure. Adelina and West are thieves you cheer for from the start. A very enjoyable read.

Thank you Random House Canada for the advance digital copy to read and review.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Finally, a good heist romance!

I adore heist stories. The action, the tension, the tricks! When I stumbled upon Kwan’s Instagram announcement, I knew I had to pick this one up. A golden retriever thief MMC and black cat hacker FMC were the cherry on top. Adelina and West are the perfect complementary pair - they both use their talents to get the other out of a tight spot on multiple occasions, and if they chose to be a force of evil, the world would cower at their feet. (As it is, I think it’s only the mob bosses and billionaires who have anything to fear from them.) Their chemistry is sizzling, and best of all? There’s no drawn-out third act breakup based on a miscommunication!

My favorite humanizing detail for both Adelina and West were their families. Adelina has a twin sister she’ll do anything for, and West has the niece he’s had to be a single parent to for her whole life after his brother was caught in a heist gone wrong (she’s the sweetest, and I hope she follows in her family’s footsteps to be an absolute terror). West’s circle is small, but we get a good look at Adelina’s much more complicated family tree…and yikes. Of course she’s close with her twin, but having lost her father and cut off contact with a verbally abusive mother and her circle of overbearing aunties and cousins means her self-worth is at an all-time low. This does lead to a very sweet (and spicy) scene where West helps her see herself like he sees her, but still, no one should have to deal with a family like that.

If you’re looking for a thrilling modern heist with plenty of romance, Love Among Thieves hits shelves May 12th.

[Melting Into Fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 🌟 | Spice: 3 🌶️

Want a fast-paced rom-com about a heist that will totally steal your heart? “Love Among Thieves” is such an incredibly quick & fun read with a brilliant FMC hacker, a charming MMC & a couple twists and turns along the way.

Despite her black cat “leave me alone” vibes, our FMC Adelina Choi is so likeable. Sure, she steals hundreds of thousands of dollars by hacking peoples’ bank accounts, BUT she donates it all to charitable causes. It’s called balance, folks! Seriously though, I loved her dry humour, quick wit, and, most importantly, her good heart.

Her dynamic with West Porter, our charming conman MMC, was so entertaining. Her vibes paired with West’s golden retriever energy made for great banter. From the get-go, these two had undeniable chemistry. I loved how these two learned to really trust each other & worked so well together while planning out the heist.

Representation is so important & as a CBC (Canadian-born Chinese), I feel so much joy seeing more & more BIPOC female leads in stories, including Adelina. I loved that Katrina incorporated some Chinese culture into the book, since it is Adelina’s background. It made me relate to the character even more!

The way the chapters are broken up with such catchy titles really added to the overall reading experience. Chapter Six stands out in particular in a hilarious way. It’s just under 300 pages and, if you’re like me, you can easily finish it one sitting.

A huge thank you to Katrina Kwan & Random House Canada for the exciting PR package, which included a physical ARC!

[Hadeal Al-safadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Among Thieves is a phenomenal heist romance that perfectly balances high-stakes action with deep, complex emotional arcs.
Adelina is a fantastic heroine. I loved seeing a woman dominate in tech and thievery. Her "Robin Hood" moral code—influenced by her late father—made her so easy to root for. Her decision to go no-contact with her judgmental mother added a layer of realism to her character that many readers will find relatable. She’s confident, skilled, and incredibly generous.
West is so much more than a "pretty boy" facade. While he is charming and his French dirty talk is definitely a highlight, his character depth truly shines through his role as a guardian to his six-year-old niece and his struggle with past grief. His care for Adelina—especially when navigating her past sexual trauma—was beautiful to read. He is the ultimate "show up" hero.
The plot kicks off with a brilliant "meet-cute" involving mutual theft and blackmail, but it stays grounded through its exploration of non-traditional family units. Whether it’s Adelina’s strained relationship with her sister or West’s juggling of a heist with childcare, the stakes always felt personal and real.
I’m left dying for a sequel! The chemistry I saw building for Adelina's twin, Lily, at the end has me hopeful that this isn't the last we've seen of this world.
Many thanks to Katrina Kwan and Penguin Random House Canada for the physical copy. These thoughts and opinions are my own and provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay it’s a romance heist, and I love it!! Addie is a modern day hacker Robin Hood with the goal of supporting local charities and those that are less fortunate. Unfortunately, she gets the attention of West, an ex-criminal under the thumb of a major crime boss, when she steals hundreds of thousands of dollars. West of forced out of retirement to find her, but also has an alternative plan to take down the crime boss in order to save him and his precious niece and their livelihood.
Honestly, such a fun and spicy heist book, with grumpy-sunshine dynamics and forced proximity tropes. Lots of twists and turns (some predictable), but overall a lot of fun as the team builds and prepares for their grand plan.
Mostly, I loved our protagonist: brilliant, grumpy, complex, and a true, mushy sweetheart at heart. An MIT dropout genius with truly complicated dynamics with her mother and sister. West was a lovely golden retriever complement to her energy, and loved to see to relationship with his niece, Jack. Such a fun book spaced across Canada and France, with loveliest characters, best tension, and a truly happy ending. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Alexandria Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you again to random house ca for this gorgeous physical ARC because not only is this cover stunning, but this story was so addictive🤌🏾👏🏾🔥. I love a good heist book!

✨ fun heist romance vibes
💸 insane chemistry
✨ hacker
🏎️ high stakes chaos
✨ flirting
❤️ found family feels
✨ tension
🔥 a man speaking French

This book felt like watching the coolest action romance movie unfold in my head while the chemistry slowly unraveled.

Adelina is a brilliant morally grey hacker with a giant heart. West is a shameless flirt but also carrying so much grief and love underneath all the charm. 

As you can see I annotated SO MANY parts🤗

One of my favorite parts was how soft this story became underneath all the danger. The romance sneaks up on you.One second they’re scheming and fighting and the next they’re looking at each other like they already know they’re doomed❤️‍🔥.

READ THIS IF YOU LOVE:
🖤 black cat x golden retriever
💻 hacker FMC
💸 Robin Hood vibes
🇫🇷 glamorous heists
🔥 “he falls first” energy
🏎️ fast paced action
❤️ found family
✨ banter

Katrina Kwan really said “what if I stole your heart AND your sleep?” and honestly… mission accomplished babe. Mission accomplished🤌🏾🔥👏🏾

[Annie Tasaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝟰.𝟱⭐️𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗞𝘄𝗮𝗻.⁣
⁣
Adelina Choi is a hacker who steals from the rich and gives back to those in need. But when she inadvertently steels from West their paths collide. West is a retired thief turned single parent trying to lay low to keep his niece safe. When Adelina steels from the funds he manages he makes her an offer that could offer them both a way out. ⁣
⁣
This book was so much fun. It was fast paced, and I loved the banter. West was a shameless flirt. The heist element made it feel so fresh. I absolutely adored both West & Adelina. I think the romance could have been developed a bit more and the ending wrapped up too quickly for my liking but overall I had a great time. If anything I want more. I wouldn’t be mad if the author returned to give us Lily’s story and give us a glimpse in their future. ⁣
⁣
* 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗮𝘁 🐈‍⬛ 𝗙𝗠𝗖.⁣
* 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗠𝗖.⁣
* 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁. ⁣
* 𝗦𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿/𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱. ⁣
* 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆. ⁣
* 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀. ❤️‍🔥⁣
* 𝗛𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. ⁣
* 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹. 🌻 ⁣
⁣

[allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t spell ICONIC without “con”!
I signed up for this heist adventure, but I didn’t realize the objective was my breath… yes Love Among Thieves stole my breath away 🚗

A deliciously fun romp across continents, Adelina (MIT-dropout Robin Hood hacker) is enticed to join arms with West (single dad ex-con-man) and his ragtag crew to swindle 50 billion dollars (yes, billion with a B) from excommunicated mobster Berucci.

You best believe I immediately signed up for this Street Team, and then proceeded to live-react chapter by chapter in the Discord. I ATE THIS BOOK UP IN 24 HOURS!

Definitely add this to your TBR if you want:
💻 grumpy tech hacker girlie
💸 snarky ex-conman single dad
🐈‍⬛ black cat x golden retriever
🔥 spicy midnight stake-out
🏎️ she saves him in a car chase

Thank you Katrina for this incredible ride (and Random House Canada for the e-ARC), I’m honoured to be on the team.

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Katrina’s debut book and I was excited for her to write another contemporary modern day romance! This story did not disappoint at all! Not only does the story open up in my home town, they travel to one of my favourite countries to visit too! France!

Wes & Addy has the absolute best meet cute! She steals money from his account.. so of course he breaks into her apartment! 😅🤣. And thats as much details I’m going to give you about that!

I also felt very connected with Addy.. because I also have parental issues…. Different issues, but still I feel that kindred spirit with her ❤️. Wes is an absolute flirt! And IRL I may have found him annoying 😅 or maybe be very charmed! Either way, he was fantastic in this story! And that ending!! 😅 well… you’ll have to read it to find out!

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
💻Enemies to Lovers
❤️Modern day Robin hood
💻Forced Proximity
❤️Fun Banter
💻Slow Burn
❤️Family Drama
💻Dual POV
❤️Open Door

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

THANK YOU to the author for a copy of this ARC. & to the publishers, Penguin Random House & Random House Canada!!!

Quick summary: Billions of dollars are on the line - will West and Adelina be distracted by their feeing??

Content Warnings: Discussion of Death & Grief, Violence

Katrina Kwan eats a contemporary romance! Period.

I love Adelina and West so much. Separately and together as a couple. Adelina was also in the dead dad’s club, like me. Adelina studied coding, like me. (I hated it though.) West was a yearner and a flirter;) Genuinely I loved the banter between them

The heist was very high stakes. There were many side characters that I loved along the way, too!

This had me smiling and giggling so much. I just loved these characters so much :)

[Madge Maril · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want everyone to read this book.

LOVE AMONG THIEVES is brilliant, fast-paced, and HOT. The slowburn is slow-burning; the tension starts building as soon as Adelina and West meet. The humor is on point; Adelina is for the smart girls who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. This is Katrina Kwan firing on all cylinders and taking us along for the ride!! (Think black cat/golden retriever, with the dark humor of a Brynne Weaver novel and a heist that'll thrill the thriller fans.)

Here is my official blurb:

“Do you love smart, sexy banter between anti-heroes? Long for a man who’ll pick the lock on your door then the lock on your heart? Love Among Thieves delivers a heist with benefits—and one of the hottest romantic thrillers I’ve ever read.”

Thank you Katrina & Random House Canada for letting me read early! All thoughts are my own.

[Swati Hegde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am convinced that Lady Gaga said "Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before" about Katrina Kwan's LOVE AMONG THIEVES. But here's MY official blurb:

"An unputdownable high-stakes, high-spice heist romance, LOVE AMONG THIEVES is just as swoony as it is thrilling, with me fanning myself while on the edge of my seat the entire time. This book is a masterclass in writing scorching-hot chemistry and jaw-dropping plot twists. I'm going to recommend Katrina Kwan to every reader I know!"

Thank you to Random House Canada for the ARC!

[Jennifer Macias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katrina Kwan is a mastermind of writing, and this adventure rom com is no exception! Adelina is a hacker who takes money from the rich and funnels it into charities, assuming no one will notice the money is missing. But then she steals from the wrong person, and West makes her an offer she can’t refuse: help him pull off one of the biggest heists, and eliminate a dangerous Italian crime boss threatening his family, and she will keep half the money. West is incredibly charming, and the slow burn tension is perfect. The storyline has action, banter, and a number of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end and as Noreen Nanja said, theives with benefits is in!

[K T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adelina & West's story is so fun!! It's full of witty banter, LOL moments & I loved the ending.

Adelina is a modern Robin Hood.......... and West is a former thief.....

I really love watching Heist movies & so I was excited to read this book & it didn't disappoint, I really enjoyed it. There were some good unexpected plot twists & it was a fast paced read.

Adelina & West had some enemies to lovers vibes as well as slow burn tension & good chemistry.

I loved the title headings, they were so fun & clever!!

Closed door romance, very clean.

Thank you to the author (Katrina Kwan), publisher (Penguin Random House) & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Samm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured Love Among Thieves by Katrina Kwan. The second I started this book, I could NOT put it down. The tension, the characters, the chaos and the emotions… I ate this book up soooo fast and loved every second of it.

This story had me completely hooked from beginning to end, and it delivered exactly the kind of addictive reading experience I crave. Every chapter pulled me in deeper, and before I knew it, I was flying through the pages desperate to know what happened next.

Huge thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC opportunity! This is 100% a book I’ll be proudly stocking on the shelves at Book Dragons Den because readers are going to LOVE this one. 🖤📚🐉

[USOM · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

I love heists, unlikely allies, and romance. Love Among Thieves delivers playful banter from page one and only ramps up the heat. We are able to see both Adelina and West's perspective and it helps to see the ways in which they fall, their vulnerabilities, and the cracks forming. The heist action is so good as it forms this adventure and this steady thrum of conflict and stakes. But my heart melted in how they soften to each other, to see through what they thought before. There's scorching chemistry and it was so easy to fall into Love Among Thieves.

[Mimi | blossom_binds · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ rounded up.
If Katrina writes it, I'll read it. I do love a good spy novel. This one was a really fun and fast read. I don't get the hate about blonde MMCs (in general) but I just LOVE West. He is portrayed as like a charming cocky asshole but his motives are of big heart. The tension. The flirting!!!
Adelina Choi is such a badass FMC. MIT drop out or not, she definitely can be my role model lol! Standing up to emotional abuse from a family member is so real and also stealing money from the rich to donate it to charities and organizations for a good cause.


Thank you Random House Canada for the ARC!