The Long Con

by Jenna Voris

Two rival conwomen team up on a high-stakes heist at Miami’s most exclusive new island resort in this sultry, action-packed novel.

Nothing brings Chloe Bly more joy than swindling rich people out of their money. Ever since her mother’s funeral, she’s used her hotel catering job to slip into people’s rooms, pawn their valuables, and use the haul to pay off her family’s medical debt. It’s a perfect system—until she finally gets caught.

But instead of turning her in, the eccentric billionaire hotel owner wants to hire Chloe for a job. The con is simple: infiltrate his rival’s new luxury hotel—pure opulence, from its lavish suites to its guests’ attire, accessible only via yacht—steal back his missing Hotel Excellence Award, and get away clean. At stake? Enough money to offer Chloe a way out of debt, out of Miami, and away from her problems forever.

The only problem is that Chloe won’t be working alone. Instead, she must team up with Harper Parisi, the disgustingly wealthy, frustratingly gorgeous conwoman who’s been crashing Chloe’s jobs all year. Suspicious about why Harper would risk it all for the billionaire’s scheme, Chloe doesn’t trust her—or the complicated feelings she sparks. With time running out and millions of dollars on the line, Chloe must get in and out without letting her emotions sabotage her chances of getting rich . . . or getting even.

Genres: Lesbian, Mystery Thriller, Queer, Adult, LGBT, Fiction, Thriller

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 2, 2026

About the author

Author also publishes as J.M. Voris

Jenna Voris is the author of multiple young adult books including Every Time You Hear That Song, and Say A Little Prayer. Originally from Indiana, she now lives in northern Virginia in a 200-year-old townhouse overflowing with books and (allegedly) revolutionary war era ghosts.

Follow her online @JennaVoris and at jennamvoris.com.

Reviews

[Roxane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this novel in one sitting. Couldn’t put it down. So much to love here. Great writing, great characters, great premise. But oh my god. The rivalry between Chloe and Harper is too much when they clearly want to be together. It’s all tease! Not one complete sex scene? After all that tension? BFFR!!!! And the ending unraveled too fast. I loved all the little twists but at times the story got a little incredulous. I wish Harper had been given more dimension and Chloe was a bit less… Chloe.

What, exactly, is the long con??? The cover? Ummm. What!?

The plot holes!!!! I feel like this could just use more time
In the writing oven. There is so much potential here!!!

But for real, there is no excuse for not making this a hot lesbian sex fest alongside the crimes. I’m kind of… mad about it.

Regardless, definitely recommend this. It’s fun and sexy and queer and quite the caper.

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one. 

The plot is interesting and kept me engaged, but I felt the characters and their relationships were really underdeveloped. 

It is entertaining, the heists were fun and there was some nice twists, but I feel it could have been so much better if the characters, especially the secondary ones, were given more time and focus. 

Overall I think it's a 3.5 for me. The cover does not help.

Thank you Random House for this ARC. 

[Larareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 3.25 ⭐️

I read my first Jenna Voris book last year amd loved it, so I was so excited when she announced this book because it sounded soooo good... but unfortunately it wasn't for me. The characters seemed a little immature and I didn't really care about them as much as I thought I would.

The heists are interesting fun and there are a couple of twists, but I really felt that if the author spent more time on the characters, even the secondary one this book would have been a lot better.

This is in no way a bad book, because I did have a good time reading, but I just wanted more.

[Emmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chloe Bly, a conwoman who uses her hotel catering job as a hunting ground for unsuspecting wealthy guests. Chloe ultimately turned to this life of crime when she started drowning in debt from family medical bills following the death of her mother. So, with the help of friends who are as thick as thieves, the team works together like a well-oiled machine and pulls off heists with ease…until she’s caught by the hotel owner. Now that’s unfortunate.


The hotel owner doesn’t turn her in, but instead hires her for a heist. The payout would solve her problems and then some, so why shouldn’t she take the job? Well in walks Harper Parisi, the stunning conwoman who’s been sabotaging her cons for the last year. Absolutely not. Harper drives her absolutely crazy, and she doesn’t trust her as far as she can throw her. Like it or not, the two rivals must team up for the heist and not push, strangle, or pull hair, but that’s easier said than done. 


I was pleasantly surprised, and I didn’t stop turning pages until there were none left. Most of the characters were likable and while I did enjoy this read, there were a few things that left me feeling unsatisfied. For instance, I expected the job to be what the title implied, but it was more like a week. I expected it would’ve taken over the span of a couple of months at least. Also, I love plot twists as much as the next person, but there was one that just didn’t make sense to me. There were things that I enjoyed too. The writing was descriptive in a way that felt like I was watching the events unfold in front of me and not just reading a book in my living room. The banter and tension were chef's kiss. I just wished there had been more spice with all the tension they had, but I’m just a greedy sapphic reader, so lock me up. Overall, it was a comedic and action-packed thriller that I’m glad I read!


👠 Pub Date Apr 28 2026


I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

[Gracie Kunik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be gay, do crime, be hot, double cross ur enemies, etc etc. Fun read!!

[Agrippina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise but was disappointed by the execution. This is the author’s first adult novel and her characters are still very dramatic and excitable in a way more appropriate for YA style.
The twists weren’t twisting for me. One of the “big reveals” was so obvious to me the first time it was hinted at, I was sure the main character also figured it out at that moment. But no, she is ✨shocked✨ a few chapters later when she finally puts two and two together.
The characters are spotty and inconsistent, poor Harper most of all. Why is she described as a criminal mastermind in one chapter and then as a pensive, ocean staring twelve-year-old who just wants to be seen by her parent in the next? Chloe is consistently annoying, to her credit. And I never got why the “villains” of the story were so very dangerous, (they weren’t) which took away from the stakes of the story. In the end, everyone gets away with everything, and that was a little too smooth for me.
I don’t know if the author has been to Miami and if she has, that did not shine through. It is unclear why the characters all hate it exactly, but think it could be described better, either as a place to be or a place to escape. As the book presents it, it’s just a bland palm-ridden place where hoteliers compete who can build another hotel on an island - which is not untrue, but I think Miami (like any city) has a certain charm and character, and it was not used here. Use of recognizable areas and spaces could help with that, I think.
Also, Ireland seemed a little left-field, as that part of Chloe’s story is not very connected to anything else in the novel.
I’m sure many readers will enjoy this book but it was a bit of a chore for me.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House, for sharing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is out on January 2, 2079, apparently.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to Netgalley and Dial Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars, full review to follow.

[PJ S · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley/Random House.
This book was a struggle. It was very slow to get in to. I struggled to force myself to keep going. Hitting some key points on why:

- The characters: I never felt connected to any of the characters. Never bought in to their story development. They were all annoying AF and had basically no redeeming qualities (that readers were privy to). This could be fleshed out with more back story, and deeper, more substantive character reflection. But as is, it never goes beyond surface level and I never fell in love with anyone.
- Romance: None existent. There was supposed to be a slow burn between the two female leads. But there was no sizzle, no connection between them, other than the author saying a couple times (paraphrasing) “there was an inexplicable connection felt”. There is ZERO spice at all in this book, if that’s what you’re looking for. There are two kissing scenes: one is a fake kiss as a cover up, the other is angry kissing that goes nowhere. There’s no happy ending/HEA for anyone.
- Title: The Long Con. After finishing the book I have no idea what the long con was. I think it’s supposed to be the reveal about the antagonist/anti-hero’s origin story? No idea. Granted the story is about a bunch of con artists trying to steal stuff. But it’s all short game cons. So… who knows.
- The mystery/crime aspect: This was slow and boring for 2/3 of the book. Then there’s a mad rush of some action where the story actually gets interesting, and it’s over as quick as it started.
- The ending: It all just sort of fizzled. I got to the end, expecting another chapter or two, and it just stopped. There is resolve to most of all the plot points, just in a very anti-climactic way.

This is my first read by this author, and it’s my understanding that this is her first adult novel, after previously being in YA. I think that shows. This story feels juvenile, for lack of a better word. Hopefully there’s some editing before final release to help tighten up the story. I wanted to like this, but it suffers from common pitfalls of the YA genre, just generally lacking depth of any kind.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating — 3.75 out of 5 stars.

i have some mixed feelings about this one. i enjoyed a lot of it – it was a quick read, a great little summer heist thriller that kept it pretty snappy, but a couple of things didn’t quite gel with me.

first off, i’ll admit i’m a little confused by the name of the book. when i picture a long con, i associate that with weeks or months-long affairs that take a long time to set up in order to get that bigger payout. considering the fact that the events in this book take place over a week (or maybe less?), i really don’t think i would call this a long con? but perhaps i just have a different definition of it. something else i didn’t like was one of the “twists” near the end. i can’t really get into it without spoiling it, but the gist of what i didn’t enjoy was the fact that the setup for said twist was completely omitted from the text in what i consider to be an unrealistic way. if it involves chloe, whose head we’re inside the entire time, why would there be no indication of what she’s planning to do until it’s revealed to the audience later?? it just makes no sense to me and feels like lazy writing.

i definitely do want more sapphic books, and sapphic thrillers are definitely something that i love, so i’m glad i read this! i will be checking out the author’s other works; i enjoyed her writing style and there were some fun plot points in here as well.

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who loves con stories and sapphic romance, I was super excited to read The Long Con. Now that I’ve read it, I can say that the “romance” is much lighter than I was expecting, and the con was definitely not long!

To start with the con itself: the premise feels shaky initially, before more information is revealed. Five million dollars for a trophy? I think the author makes it decently clear that there’s more to the story than just “a trophy,” but there is a bit of intrigue for the reader, that the characters were so willing to jump into this with the limited information they had when it seems almost too good to be true. Especially with the time restraint put on them. I also felt a little underwhelmed by the setting/context, in hotels, in Miami of all places? Ok. However, once the story starts moving, I was getting pretty into it enough to ignore that and just enjoy the book. I think the ending was pretty solid, in terms of the story line of the con itself.

As for the characters. Priya and Logan are great, solid, and fun. I enjoyed them, and think that they were pretty distinct, had enough backstory, and had a very logical reaction to Chloe’s actions throughout the book. The biggest thing for them, just not getting enough time to be better fleshed out and developed. As for the antagonists, there was a lot of saying that they were dangerous and powerful, and very limited proof that they were dangerous and powerful? We are supposed to be afraid of Katherine, but there's nothing to indicate this beyond Harper's words.

Chloe is fine. I think that she’s well rounded and clearly written, and I think the complexity of her character and her actions make her, at times, a bit difficult to like. As someone reading, who has to hear over and over and over about Harper and read Chloe snap at Harper again, I did get slightly worn out. Especially with the tentative sexual tension that the author was trying to sneak in. And for the first kiss, that arguably worked for me, but subsequently did not. And the main reason it didn't is because I felt nothing between these characters. Harper I found the most interesting! I wish we had gotten a bit more of her without the lens of annoyance and “hatred” that guided the entire book through Chloe’s perspective.

I enjoyed the twist of Harper's betrayal — I didn't really see it coming. I think my enjoyment of that could have been greater if there had been more between Chloe and Harper. I think the emotional payoff would have been awesome. And at the end, in Ireland, I was a bit surprised at the reunion and Chloe’s words. Considering what happened the last time they saw each other? I don’t know. And I think that's why in terms of the characters, the ending wasn't quite as satisfying to me.

Overall, this was a fun enough read, I don’t know if I’d read it again though. I think there were aspects that worked for me, and potentially a couple of more that didn’t. I would have assumed this to be YA, but I guess it isn't.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing the e-ARC for honest review!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this premise—it felt fresh, fun, and totally intriguing. The mix of glitz, glam, and danger made it such an entertaining read. I haven’t come across another book quite like it, though it did give me similar vibes to Lucky by Marissa Stapley, which I also really liked. The Long Con followed two rival swindlers who end up teaming up for the ultimate heist. Chloe Bly, who had been quietly stealing from the wealthy guests at a luxury island resort to pay off family medical bills, got caught and realized her only way out was to work with her sharpest competitor. What started as a dangerous partnership quickly turned into a game of deception, high risks, and double-crosses.

The highlights of this unique narrative were the glamorous setting, the sharp tension between Chloe and Harper, and the way the rivals-to-partners dynamic kept the story fun and unpredictable. The heist setup was fast-paced and entertaining, and the romance added another layer of stakes. However, a few of the twists were a little easy to spot, and I would have liked more depth from the supporting cast to balance out the focus on the main duo.

All in all, The Long Con was a fun, fast-moving heist story with just the right mix of suspense, glamour, and romantic tension. Even with a few predictable turns, I enjoyed the ride and would recommend it to anyone who likes twisty cons, messy rivalries, and a touch of romance woven into the chaos.

Thanks Net Galley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my opinion.

[Angela Schroeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I received an arc of this book and read it September 2025.

I tend to steer clear of YA novels, so I’ve not come across this author before, but this is her debut adult novel. The cover and synopsis of the book were what drew me in and made me want to read.

I had a hard time getting into this book, it was probably around chapter 12 I started to feel invested. This could be because of the state of mind I was in while reading (about to return to work after maternity leave), but I do think it was a slow start up to the action. I liked the writing style, I felt the story flowed well. Although the twists were easy for me to guess, it still didn’t take away from the story when I got to those parts and I didn’t guess everything, there was still some shock value.

The book is only around 250 pages, normally I feel books have too much filler, but I actually think this one could’ve had more pages. I would’ve loved to explore the background between Harper and Chloe more. I think all the characters could've benefitted from more development, even the side characters. There was just some details lacking that I would've liked to have.

I can tell this author had her book edited, I found no grammar errors. I don’t look for grammatical errors while reading, but I tend to catch them a lot on popular booktok books. So a big thank you to this author for thinking beyond the release and money.

Overall, this was a good read! I would recommend it to those who like a quick read with some twists. It probably won’t be a book I reread, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.

PS: loved the VPR plugs

[Lydia Hephzibah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4

setting: Florida
rep: sapphic protagonist

when I first started this I wasn't entirely sure I'd like it as it felt a bit YA but I ended up getting really into it and the heists and dramas were fun! I did frequently want to throttle both Chloe and Harper for their stubbornness and selfishness but it's what kept the story moving, and I enjoyed how things panned out in the end. more books like this! by which I mean both heist stories, and non romance genre fiction with queer protagonists

[Tori :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishing company for this ARC! The enemies-lovers style reminds me of “I Kissed Shara Wheeler.” Unfortunately, it did get a bit tiring after a while and you never had much relief—if you like tension this might be the book for you.

The heist part is okay, not bad but nothing to write home about. I feel like the description of this book sounds really good! But the actual novel is lackluster—like I’m easily craving more after finishing it.

[Brooke! · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely not your normal book but super interesting and good!!! thank you to net gallery for this arc copy! make sure to read this in april! i really loved chloe so much and i was not expecting that ending at ALL.

[Emily Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roxane Gay was right. This is quite the romp.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, it would make a great movie! Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

Mild spoilers ahead...

A couple of the twists were a little predictable (Carlyle's relationship etc), but I honestly couldn't put it down. I do wish that Harper's character had been a little more developed... but my biggest wish was for some SPICE!!! After all that teasing we were absolutely left wanting more from Harper and Chloe.
All that said, this is still 4 ⭐️ from me!!

[Jason Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was I just conned into reading an enemies to lovers romance cleverly disguised as a thrilling heist of a luxury hotel? Maybe. Maybe not.

We are introduced to Chloe Bly and her friends Priya and Logan at a fancy gala for billionaire Andrew Carlyle. Chloe, Priya and Logan, like Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, swindle the rich to give to the poor. They’re the poor. Their night is thrown into disarray with the arrival of Harper Parisi, Chloe’s nemesis.

With the night ruined, Chloe has a business card that was somehow placed in her pocket advising her to meet at the Carlyle penthouse the next day. When she shows up, Harper is there. Surprisingly, it’s Andrew Carlyle that wants to hire these two con women to get back his Hotel Excellence Award that was stolen by a rival hotelier.

This is one of those rare reads that I do wish was longer. There is a tension between Chloe and Harper that could have been explored further. Regardless, this was a fun read as the women have to work together to get the award back with lots of twists and turns along the way. Many times, I’m not really sure who is conning who and who are actually working together until the end.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Long Con by Jenna Voris. This is to be published on January 2, 2026.

[Kelsey | Pages Between Policy · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of The Long Con! This review represents my honest perspective.✨

A just-okay take at a sapphic heist-y thriller, The Long Game unfortunately didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but it wasn’t a total loss. The concept here is fun, though requires you to suspend disbelief a bit: Chloe works events at the bougie Carlyle hotel in Miami where she moonlights as a conwoman and thief in an attempt to dig her family out of medical debt left after her mother died of cancer. Along with her two sidekicks, Priya (who plays the tech genius “man in the chair”) and Logan (a sleight of hand expert who can lift a piece of jewelry off just about anyone), Chloe has been successfully nabbing fancy bracelets, watches, and wallets from wealthy socialites when they come to the hotel for galas. When her nemesis, sexy and perfect Harper, isn’t foiling her grand plans, that is. Enter political candidate and billionaire owner of the Carlyle, who provides Chloe and Harper an offer they seemingly can’t refuse: steal back an award that his nemesis took from him, and they’d be $5 million richer. Both women must work together to complete the job without murdering the other one first.

This book oscillates through some notable highs and lows that really impacted my enjoyment. I was looking for Oceans Eight in book form with more lesbian chaos, but this unfortunately turned out to be a bit more of a made-for-TV movie that you watch on a sick day while laying on the couch. I wanted more longing and tension between our two female main characters, but their chemistry felt a bit lackluster. I loved the idea of two women working a heist who want to rip each other’s hair out while also secretly wanting to kiss, but most of their interactions dissolved into simple bickering instead of that simmering “will they or won’t they?” drama. The setting was undeniably sexy - you have hot people in hot clothes in a hot place and I was hoping that would transition over to the spice, but this was also a bit of a let-down. I would categorize the spice level as just something around or just past YA, so don’t go into this expecting that there will be a lot of action in that realm.

The author had an opportunity to delve deeper into what makes each of the women tick, and there were some intriguing moments that just didn’t quite carry from one chapter to the next. Regardless, there’s not a lot of books out there that give you two queer female main characters who are trying to double cross each other to millions of dollars, so I’m hopeful this inspires a lot more “be gay, do crimes” books, which I am VERY here for.

This book was light on the planning and heavy on the vibes - it does its job as a quick suspense/mystery if you prefer something fast paced and easy to follow that won’t keep you up at night. The twists were well paced and well placed in the book, though astute readers could easily pick up on the intentional clues placed by Voris to understand what was coming next. I was hoping for a more high stakes read - in this novel, things certainly go wrong and there’s theoretically consequences to their actions, but even the biggest reveals and confrontations never felt super dangerous. I will applaud Voris for not backing down on the big action sequence towards the end of the novel - I was impressed and surprised that she pushed the novel’s conclusion in this direction and shy away from the calamitous finale.

Priya and Logan were fun and fully realized side characters, though I can’t say I even knew much about the motivations of any of them beyond “we all desperately need money” and “we’re big on revenge.” I think the concept of Chloe, Priya, and Logan all teaming up as struggling 20-somethings who were trying to make a better lives for themselves and their families was compelling, but the author didn’t bother to dig into this any further. There were some side comments about how our trio didn’t understand the lives of the rich and the famous and how they didn’t feel bad stealing from them, leaving us with some half baked social commentary on the American dream and capitalism that never came to fruition. Delving deeper here would have amped up the emotional tension and connection we have to Chloe in particular and give us a more clear view of her warring feelings about “doing the right thing” while trying to survive in a world that clearly was made for the wealthy.

I think the book had a lot of promise to be a 4-5 star read for me but just didn’t quite live up to what I’d imagined in my mind. It’s clear Voris has interesting ideas and there were some moments here that landed better than others. If she releases another adult novel, I’d be interested in reading and hope that she can develop her characters through more sophisticated writing in the future. I love supporting authors from the DMV area and wish her the best in her upcoming stories!

[jayden abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Possible Spoilers*

The Long Con by Jenna Voris is an interesting cat-and-mouse drama. However, the romance between the rival thieves, Chloe and Harper, wasn't my vibe. I think there was too much dishonesty between the two. You can be a complicated immoral person, and still be honest, albeit in a complicated and debatable way. The plot was what kept me glued to the page. I enjoyed flouncing around penthouses, hotels, and boats trying to find the elusive hospitality award that has everyone in a tizzy. The plot twists of who knew what felt like I was reading a gossip magazine. Overly processed, but entertaining.

Neither woman had enough depth for me to care about them on a personal level. Chloe just reads as the poor heroine whose mom died of cancer. I needed more exploration of her character to make it work. Chloe is a thief not by choice, but by necessity. We learn a little bit about her criminal backstory, but not enough. It would’ve been cool to get flashbacks of the heists that taught her the life lessons she lives by. She mentions a few heists in passing, but never in any detail. Chloe’s exceedingly unhappy about where her life is, doesn’t trust, and is emotionally flighty. So much of her inner monologue is centered around the past, I wish we could have jumped first-person into the memories that altered her into the anti-hero/villain she is today.

Harper felt kind of messy, and not in a complex character way. It felt like Voris wasn’t sure whether she wanted Harper to have a redemption arc or stay the antagonist. She backstabs Chloe, accidentally shoots her mom, reveals her evil plan, and skips town on a life boat. And then months later meets Chloe by “coincidence” in an Irish bar. I think that I’d have more context for her character if there were chapters from her perspective. Obviously she has a complicated, glamorous, and homoerotic relationship with Chloe, but we never know what’s going on in her head. Which is the point I suppose, but she’s arguably why the entire premise of the books kicks into gear, and I wanted more. Harper double crosses Chloe out of insecurity and anger. She manipulates the world like pawns on a chessboard, but can still never win the attention of her parents. She has so many things happening to her, and due to her, that I couldn’t get the full picture just from Chloe’s pov.

I wasn’t particularly a shipper of the two. Maybe threatening to shoot your love interest out of selfish emotional turmoil and insecurity is a bridge too far for me. Maybe if I had gotten more development from the two, I could justify Harper’s actions as being villainous but understandable. Being so starved for approval and belonging that you’d frame a (sort of) innocent person in order to feel noticed is not my definition of justifiable. I feel like Chloe and Harper had less chemistry and more sexual intrigue and shared parental trauma. I would have liked to see them do something normal, like go to a coffee shop. Honestly, those two needed to get locked in a room to either talk it out, or f-it out. Verbally going at each other’s throats helped no one in the long run or the short run. I think that in another life, the two have potential, but in this one they’re an explosive, unnecessary fight waiting to happen. It never felt like they had an equal share of power.

There were definitely some things I really enjoyed about this book. I loved Harper’s mother Katherine Windey. She’s calculating, observant, unreadable, and loves her daughter. She bribes Chloe to not spill that Harper shot her own mother. She relates to and respects Chloe’s ambition. As the head of a hotel empire, she knows how to play the capitalist game and win. She was honestly the most likeable character. Imperfect, but also had enough redeeming qualities to make me understand her actions. I liked the fast-paced Boris and Natasha-style phishing schemes/bait and switches. I enjoyed the digs towards Republican pro-gun policies. Unfortunately the sidekicks were a little annoying and didn’t really have character traits past tech savvy and fashionably gay. If you enjoy fun crime plots with ridiculous break-ins this might be for you. There just wasn’t enough character building and explored nuance for me.

Side note: I don’t know what the point of name dropping every perfume a character wears on-page was. I’m not a perfume person, so maybe knowing what exact Dior scent someone smells like adds character depth that I’m not cool enough to pick up on, but it read like ad placement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. I will be posting this review on Goodreads and/or Tiktok and Instagram in mid-to-late December.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Long Con by Jenna Voris
Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the gifted ARC of this glitzy little chaos bomb of a novel.

You ever read a book that feels like it was written just for the drama? Like, pure drama for sport? That’s what The Long Con delivers: sapphic tension, high-stakes heists, and enough “I hate you—but do I?” energy to fuel a telenovela. Jenna Voris clearly understood the assignment: give the girls crime, banter, and trust issues—and then trap them on a yacht. Honestly? I was seated.

Chloe Bly is a broke cater-waiter with Olympic-level sticky fingers, knocking off rich hotel guests in Miami to pay off her family’s mountain of medical debt. She’s not doing it for the thrill—okay, maybe a little for the thrill—but mostly out of desperation. She’s smart, sharp-tongued, and armed with two loyal besties (Logan and Priya, both absolute scene-stealers). Everything is going fine-ish until she gets caught mid-job. End of the line? Not quite. The hotel owner, an eccentric billionaire with a grudge, wants to hire her instead—for a heist on a rival’s ritzy island resort. The prize? A stolen Hotel Excellence Award. No, you didn’t misread. The MacGuffin of this entire scheme is a literal award for rich people hospitality.

But wait. The real kicker? She has to work with Harper Parisi—her nemesis, her competition, her emotional terrorism in designer heels. Harper is rich, flawless, and annoyingly good at conning people out of their wallets and their common sense. She’s also been crashing Chloe’s scams for months and sparking all sorts of feelings that Chloe would very much like to ignore. Which, naturally, means they’re going to be spending every waking moment together. In a high-pressure crime setting. While pretending not to want to kill—or kiss—each other. Good luck with that, ladies.

The set-up is golden. The Miami backdrop is sweltering and vivid. The found-family vibe among Chloe’s crew adds just enough warmth to balance out all the moral ambiguity. And the pacing? Zippy. The book wastes no time throwing us into the action, with sharp dialogue and quick scene shifts that make it feel like watching a Netflix series you didn’t mean to binge. I was all in from the first chapter. And let’s be honest, we all came for the enemies-to-lovers tension anyway.

But here’s where the con gets a little shaky: for a book called The Long Con, it’s weirdly… short? Everything takes place over the span of a few days. I expected a months-long, Ocean’s Eleven–style build-up with intricate plans and twisty fake-outs. What we get instead is more like “Spring Break Heist: Emotional Damage Edition.” Still fun! But a bit undercooked in the strategy department. And that title? Misleading enough to feel like it might be the con.

Romance-wise, the tension is definitely there—stolen glances, sharp insults, accidental proximity—but the payoff lacks the heat promised by that “sultry” label. There are a few makeout scenes, sure, but not enough groundwork to sell the emotional shift from “you ruined my life” to “maybe you’re my life now.” Some of their emotional beats hit, but others felt abrupt, like the plot was sprinting toward a resolution it hadn’t earned yet.

And then there’s that twist. If you’ve read it, you know. Chloe pulls off a reveal that should’ve had major impact, but it stumbles because we’re in her POV the whole time and… she just never thinks about it? At all? That’s not a twist, that’s narrative gaslighting. It’s one thing to misdirect readers—it’s another to completely omit a character’s internal logic until it’s convenient for the plot. It felt like a con, but not in the way I wanted.

Still, for all its wobbles, The Long Con is a fast, flashy, chaotic good time. It knows what it’s doing—leaning into the drama, dressing it up in sequins, and throwing it onto a yacht. If you’re here for serious literary depth or airtight logic, this probably isn’t your ride. But if you want bisexual disaster energy, rich people takedowns, found family, and chaotic sapphic heists? Jump aboard.

Voris has serious talent for banter, atmosphere, and character voice, and I’ll absolutely read whatever she writes next. Just—maybe next time, make the con longer, the kiss steamier, and the twist make actual sense?

“People always say the best cons are built on truth. But they forget the most important part: it only works if you know which parts to leave out.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the sheer fun of it.

#TheLongCon #JennaVoris #HeistFiction #SapphicRomance #EnemiesToLovers #LGBTBooks #QueerThriller #BookReview #NetGalley #WomensFiction #ARCReview #ThrillersWithHeart

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚The Long Con
✍🏻Jenna Voris
Blurb:
Nothing brings Chloe Bly more joy than swindling rich people out of their money. Ever since her mother’s funeral, she’s used her hotel catering job to slip into people’s rooms, pawn their valuables, and use the haul to pay off her family’s medical debt. It’s a perfect system—until she finally gets caught.

But instead of turning her in, the eccentric billionaire hotel owner wants to hire Chloe for a job. The con is simple: infiltrate his rival’s new luxury hotel—pure opulence, from its lavish suites to its guests’ attire, accessible only via yacht—steal back his missing Hotel Excellence Award, and get away clean. At stake? Enough money to offer Chloe a way out of debt, out of Miami, and away from her problems forever.

The only problem is that Chloe won’t be working alone. Instead, she must team up with Harper Parisi, the disgustingly wealthy, frustratingly gorgeous conwoman who’s been crashing Chloe’s jobs all year. Suspicious about why Harper would risk it all for the billionaire’s scheme, Chloe doesn’t trust her—or the complicated feelings she sparks. With time running out and millions of dollars on the line, Chloe must get in and out without letting her emotions sabotage her chances of getting rich . . . or getting even.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed all four members of our team - seeing the familiar dynamics they were used to getting disrupted by this new job was great. Chloe and Harper had so much tension while Logan and Priya were perfect long suffering friends.
My favorite thing about this novel is the way it balances the romance and the heist. I never forgot that Chloe and Harper were absolutely going to pull a rivals to lovers (rivals and lovers?) but it also wasn’t so overwhelming that the actual heist was just an afterthought.
Harper absolutely never learned how to flirt without pulling pigtails and it makes for a sexy rivalry when thieving is involved. Chloe just needing to beat Harper really turns the heat up and I think we all know that makes for a dramatic hookup when the dam finally breaks.
The actual heist was super fun - Priya and Logan were both instrumental and I’m always going to love a long suffering hacker. Yes they’re there to support Chloe but it’s nice that we learned their motivations as well. The twists were compelling and looking back I see where the seeds for them were sown without being too obvious - something that not every novel pulls off successfully!
I think the one thing I was left wanting more of was actually Harper! She’s such a great character and Chloe definitely had a very strong view of her and her actions so getting more of Harper’s mindset would have been great. Having said that, I do agree this novel worked best with one POV but a sequel from Harper’s POV would be amazing.

I would definitely recommend this if you love heists and sexually charged rivalries.
Thanks to NetGalley, The Dial Press and Author Jenna Voris for the complimentary ARC. I am leaving my review in appreciation
#NetGalley
#TheDialPress
#JennaVoris
#TheLongCon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the arc!

Minor spoilers ahead.

YES YES YES.

I love everything Jenna Voris writes, so it shouldn't be a shock that I loved this too, but I really, really did enjoy this one. This is my first time reading an Adult book from her (love her YA), so I wasn't sure if I'd like this too, but I definitely did!

We follow Chloe, an amateur con artist who, along with her two best friends, swindles rich people out of small items to make money to try to pay her bills. Her biggest nemesis? Harper Parisi. Harper's rich, cold, and unfortunately, also a very good con artist. Chloe dislikes her for ruining some of her cons and also for stealing when she's already rich.

When a con goes sideways, due in part to Harper, Chloe ends up with a cryptic invitation rather than the goods she'd been aiming for. The note leads her to Andrew Carlyle, a wealthy hotel and business owner. Not only is Carlyle looking for her, but he's also looking for Harper. He wants the two of them to partner up to steal back an award that his rival hotel owner, Katherine Windey, whom he has his own complicated past with.

The prize for their success? 5 million dollars.

Unable to resist, Chloe and Harper decide, apprehensively, to work together. Of course, minor chaos ensues, and nothing's ever as easy as it seems, leading to a twisty, thrilling "long con".

I loved Chloe. Her motivations are real, and you can't help but empathize with her. She's smart, but she also knows she's made better by her team: Priya and Logan.

Loved both of them as well. Sometimes side characters can become just that, but Voris takes the time to flesh them out properly, giving them their own reasons and motivations.

Oh, Harper. I loved her, I hated her, I loved her again. She's somewhat morally ambiguous. You can tell she's really only working for herself, but as the job progresses, and so does her tumultuous relationship with Chloe, you see more and more sides of her, some good, some bad.

I liked their relationship. I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, and they truly deliver on that front. They also had a moment, which is one of my favorite tropes: kissing the person you hate/lust over as a distraction to not get caught. Just tooooo good.

Toward the end, I sort of didn't really like Harper and Chloe together as much, which was unfortunate, but I was happy with the ending and thought it was fair to both of them.

I thought the con part was exciting and interesting; it kept me engaged as I read. I pretty quickly guessed what the major "twist" was going to be, basically as soon as the two relevant characters were introduced, but that didn't distract from my enjoyment much. There were still a few moments that had me like ahh! and I always love books with a good scheme.

Overall, I really liked this one and I'm excited to see what Voris puts out next!

4 stars

[Amanda Lovette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains some spoilers:

I was very intrigued by the premise, but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I didn’t have a problem with Chloe or Harper’s character but after a certain point, the tension was just too much when they clearly had strong feelings for each other. Therefore I think too much time was spent on an anticlimactic heist when there should have been more character development and intimacy between Chloe and Harper. I was especially disappointed to not even have one sex scene between the two to solidify their obvious attraction. There was definitely more focus on Chloe than Harper so it would have been nice to get more depth to Harper and maybe more of a different side that she showed when she was in Ireland. I appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from both Chloe and Harper’s anger, but eventually there needed to be some growth and ability to see past those emotions in order to see each other for who they truly were and their potential.

Honestly for a heist book, the twists and turns were unfortunately very predictable, especially the climax. It would have been beneficial to have gotten more background information about Harper’s parents and general information about Chloe’s partners in crime. For the most part everything came off as very superficial and surface level that I didn’t feel truly connected to any parts of the story or any character in particular. The title also makes you think the con is going to be long and maybe have multiple dimensions, but really it went by super fast and therefore didn’t have as big of an impact. The setting was also a bit confusing, it took place in Miami but it didnt feel like Miami except for the reminders of the humidity. More descriptive details and directions in relation to make city points would have made things clearer. I also didn't really agree with the choice of having the last chapter set in Ireland. It just felt so random and outside of everything happening in the book that it didn't make the ending feel satisfying or complete. The ending especially fell short because of that reason and the fact that it was extremely rushed and everything ended way too smoothly for such a supposedly “high stakes” heist. Overall, the story had a lot of potential but it was clear that maybe it would have worked better as a YA book than an adult novel because of the lack of character development, lack of chemistry/intimacy/spice, and disappointing build up of a heist that should have had higher/more dangerous stakes.

Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press for the early digital copy for review.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book touted as a "sultry, action-packed novel," I feel a little let down.

Chloe Bly has been struggling since her mothers death. What started out as a little thrill of stealing something to feel alive and help pay down medical bills has turned into a full time job as a con artist. Along with her two best friends, Pria and Logan, Chloe uses her job at a huge hotel in Miami to swipe valuables from guests. But Harper, her arch nemesis, seems to always be there just waiting to mess things up. When Harper and Chloe are recruited by the hotels owner to get revenge on a rival they have to figure out how to set their rivalry aside and work together for the $5 million payout.

Let's start with the good: The pacing and plot were great. I love the idea of two rivals having to work together on a scheme. The writing was engaging and I was roped in from the beginning. I haven't spent much time in Miami itself but a lot of time in Florida and South Florida and Voris nails the setting in her writing. I felt the oppressive humidity and could see the predictable afternoon storm rolling in.
Now to the cons (heh):
Enemies to lovers is probably my favorite trope. I love the angst. I love the will they/ won't they. This lacked all of that for me. I didn't feel any build up to any of the romantic or steamy moments. They just happened.
The title of the book is a bit confusing as the entire book only happens over a couple of days. Nothing really screamed "long con." Not the original "crime" that leads to the team working together or any of the twists. I was expecting an epic story spanning months or years.
Speaking of twists, the Chloe one just missed. It didn't make sense. There was no hint at it at all which is very confusing when the book is from her point of view. I just couldn't make it make sense.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and Voris's writing. It just fell slightly flat and couldn't quite make it to four star territory.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Long Con
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was really excited to pick this one up because the premise was genuinely intriguing, and it’s clear the author put a lot of thought into the overall concept. There’s a strong foundation here, even if the execution didn’t fully land for me.

At times, the tone felt a little uneven. While this is the author’s first adult novel, some of the characters still leaned more YA in their emotional intensity, with reactions that felt a bit heightened for the situations. That said, the emotional stakes were clear, and it’s obvious the author cares deeply about these characters and their inner lives.

I also had mixed feelings about the mystery elements. A few twists felt easy to predict, which made some of the reveals less impactful for me, but the story does keep moving and clearly aims to entertain. The antagonists didn’t always feel as dangerous as the narrative suggested, and the resolution wrapped up fairly smoothly, though I can imagine some readers appreciating that sense of closure.

Character-wise, there were moments that worked well and others that felt less consistent. Harper’s characterization shifted throughout the story, which didn’t always click for me, but Chloe was at least memorable in a very intentional way. The dynamic between the characters was engaging, even when I wished for a bit more nuance.

The setting, particularly Miami, felt more like a backdrop than a fully realized character of its own, though the choice of location made sense for the story being told. With a bit more specificity, it could really shine in future books.

Overall, I don’t think this is a bad book at all. In fact, it’s an ambitious first step into adult fiction, and I can easily see many readers enjoying it. While it didn’t completely work for me, I appreciate what the author was trying to do and would be curious to see how her writing continues to evolve.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House, for sharing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

[M Soh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and The Dial Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Long Con was action filled and delivered on the heist storyline it promised but it did it with a lot of emotional resonance and a lot of behind the scenes intrigue that made the culmination of events even more satisfying. With an eclectic character group, our main character Chloe was the main focus and a little different than a seasoned and confident thief we might see in other heist stories, sharing her insecurities and fairly sympathetic motivations with readers.

Chloe is not doing so well financially or emotionally after the death of her mother and she finds way to pay the medical bills from her mother’s illness that would otherwise weigh down her father with some small cons with the help of her inner circle, Logan and Pria. The friend group all have noble intentions with the money from their cons but all are struggling until Chloe’s real job boss offers her a heist at a rate of $5 million…. Along with her nemesis Harper. Harper and Chloe both are no shrinking violets and both are portrayed as flawed but strong leads. While in their line of work I find it hard to believe some of their explosive emotions would pave the way for the success they’ve had thus far, they did open the door for a true ‘what happens next’ type of story.

A lot is unpacked between the two with regard to their past and working out one another, but it’s the heists and the friend group dynamic which makes this such a winner for me. What ends up happening was not expected and I absolutely loved how this story ended in giving some closure (for Chloe personally as well) but keeping the door open for another book. If you’re a fan of heists reads but also want some more story and emotion, look no further, this is a good one.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc!

First of all I need to say I read this at the perfect time with a jewel heist in the news. It really just added to the overall atmosphere! I’m a sucker for a heist - whether it’s jewels, technology, or anything else, I’m seated.

I really enjoyed all four members of our team - seeing the familiar dynamics they were used to getting disrupted by this new job was great. Chloe and Harper had so much tension while Logan and Priya were perfect long suffering friends.

My favorite thing about this novel is the way it balances the romance and the heist. I never forgot that Chloe and Harper were absolutely going to pull a rivals to lovers (rivals and lovers?) but it also wasn’t so overwhelming that the actual heist was just an afterthought.

Harper absolutely never learned how to flirt without pulling pigtails and it makes for a sexy rivalry when thieving is involved. Chloe just needing to beat Harper really turns the heat up and I think we all know that makes for a dramatic hookup when the dam finally breaks.

The actual heist was super fun - Priya and Logan were both instrumental and I’m always going to love a long suffering hacker. Yes they’re there to support Chloe but it’s nice that we learned their motivations as well. The twists were compelling and looking back I see where the seeds for them were sown without being too obvious - something that not every novel pulls off successfully!

I think the one thing I was left wanting more of was actually Harper! She’s such a great character and Chloe definitely had a very strong view of her and her actions so getting more of Harper’s mindset would have been great. Having said that, I do agree this novel worked best with one POV but a sequel from Harper’s POV would be amazing.

I would definitely recommend this if you love heists and sexually charged rivalries

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, The Dial Press, and Random House for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Long Con on April 28, 2026.

The way this book immediately satisfied all my heist needs. We had a lovable cast of characters, a stick it to the rich mentality, and odds that were never completely out of our favor but were definitely a gamble. Our main character, Chloe, has been running scams and swindling people with her friends Logan and Priya for over a year to make ends meet. But every once in a while, their heists get interrupted by a competing player, rich girl Harper Parisi.

Chloe and Harper's rivalry is eating Chloe up from the inside, so of course, she's reluctant to take on a job working WITH Harper instead of against her. There's definitely no backstabbing and betrayal and attraction going on, right?

If there's one thing Jenna Voris is gonna do, it's write angsty, heartbreaking sapphic relationships with heaps of interpersonal drama. Throughout the entirety of The Long Con, you never know if Chloe and Harper are going to kill or kiss each other, and it just made the tension impeccable. But so much more influences their relationship than a simple one-upmanship heist content. Coming from different financial and family backgrounds, being surrounded by friends vs no one, being on display vs being invisible, all factor into this messy relationship. There were times I literally wanted to shake these two (especially when they would work out their drama MID HEIST), but it just made the emotional devastation all the more poignant.

The ending actually did surprise me in the best way, and for once, I'm glad to have more of an ambiguous send-off for our crew. I can't wait for the rest of the world to read this gem and fall in love with Jenna's work!

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I LOVED Say a little Prayer so much that I was requesting an ARC for this from Netgalley within the first five minutes of hearing about it. And it’s always an interesting experience reading a book with a protagonist that has your name.

I am always down for a heist plot line and this was exactly what I needed. The premise for the heist being between two warring luxury hotel owners and Chloe being a rob from the rich and give to the poor (herself) was so fun and allowed for some fantastic social commentary.

However, another reviewer said it needed to be cooked in the book oven a little longer and I completely agree. The basics are there- fun plot, interesting characters, and a classic Jenna lesbian plot line, but there was a lack of depth that made this read like a first draft plot line. I needed more twists and turns and fun spy scenes from the heist. I needed more depth added to the tension between Chloe and Harper, and more of a conclusion after the steamy ‘I hate you’ scene. And what I loved so much about Say a little prayer is that every single side character is fleshed out and given a story, and that’s just not here. This just needed to dial up the over the top- give me more!
I’m also super concerned with this being an adult debut as the writing still feels geared towards a young adult audience, I fear this wouldn’t catch the eye of an adult market, maybe New Adult if that had actually taken off.

Either way, I would still recommend this to Jenna fans, and I can’t wait to read her other books and whatever she has next.