What do you think?
Rate this book
Wimpole Street Widows Society #2
You Had Me at Heist
A scandalous romance blooms between a widow and her adversary in this delightful, sensual romance perfect for fans of the Bridgerton series!
Widow Iris Rumford has faced her fair share of hardships. Joining the Wimpole Street Widows Society has helped her start to heal—until she learns that her late mother's groundbreaking botanical work was stolen by her greatest adversary, who is about to publish the findings as his own.
Determined to stop the thief at all costs, Iris refuses to let the dashing guard protecting the research threaten her plans. Even if he does tempt her in new, intriguing ways...
After a scandal cost Oliver Beckett his job as a Bow Street Runner, he’s spent the last year struggling to provide for his mother and sister. Guarding a lord's precious botanical collection seems too good to be true—who would steal a bunch of plants? But the appearance of a beautiful, maddening woman throws his hopes for a quiet future right out the window.
As the two find themselves constantly thrown together, their resolve is tested—and so are their hearts.
Widow Iris Rumford has faced her fair share of hardships. Joining the Wimpole Street Widows Society has helped her start to heal—until she learns that her late mother's groundbreaking botanical work was stolen by her greatest adversary, who is about to publish the findings as his own.
Determined to stop the thief at all costs, Iris refuses to let the dashing guard protecting the research threaten her plans. Even if he does tempt her in new, intriguing ways...
After a scandal cost Oliver Beckett his job as a Bow Street Runner, he’s spent the last year struggling to provide for his mother and sister. Guarding a lord's precious botanical collection seems too good to be true—who would steal a bunch of plants? But the appearance of a beautiful, maddening woman throws his hopes for a quiet future right out the window.
As the two find themselves constantly thrown together, their resolve is tested—and so are their hearts.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Christina Britton
15 books401 followersChristina Britton developed a passion for writing romance novels shortly after buying her first at the impressionable age of thirteen. Though for several years she turned to art and put brush instead of pen to paper, she has returned to her first love and is now writing full time. She spends her days dreaming of corsets and cravats and noblemen with tortured souls.
She lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find her at www.christinabritton.com.
She lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find her at www.christinabritton.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 17, 2026
You Had Me at Heist by Christina Britton
Wimpole Street Widows Society series #2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
The Wimpole Street Widows have a new mission. They decide to help Iris Rumford prove that Lord Durand stole her mother’s botanical discoveries and is claiming them for his own. The widows rent a nearby house and make plans to infiltrate Lord Durand’s estate and find the missing notebooks. They didn’t count on new security man Oliver Beckett. As a former Bow Street Runner, he takes his job seriously and won’t let anything distract him. Although Mrs. Iris Rumford is indeed lovely and refreshing honest and easy to talk to.
A fun romp as the widows try everything to get access to the house without much success. Yet Iris doesn’t seem to have any trouble chatting with Oliver. She says whatever comes to mind and he’s charmed.
Delightful and appealing.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Wimpole Street Widows Society series #2. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
The Wimpole Street Widows have a new mission. They decide to help Iris Rumford prove that Lord Durand stole her mother’s botanical discoveries and is claiming them for his own. The widows rent a nearby house and make plans to infiltrate Lord Durand’s estate and find the missing notebooks. They didn’t count on new security man Oliver Beckett. As a former Bow Street Runner, he takes his job seriously and won’t let anything distract him. Although Mrs. Iris Rumford is indeed lovely and refreshing honest and easy to talk to.
A fun romp as the widows try everything to get access to the house without much success. Yet Iris doesn’t seem to have any trouble chatting with Oliver. She says whatever comes to mind and he’s charmed.
Delightful and appealing.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
July 5, 2026
I'm conflicted about You Had Me at Heist. There were a lot of things I enjoyed, but the balance between the romance and the heist plot felt off for much of the book. It's hard to write a historical romance with a heist because an author has to blend the emotional stakes of the romance with the technical skill of writing a heist. Sometimes that goes really well; sometimes we lose the plot. I feel like this was half great and half aimless.
Botanist Iris Rumford lost her beloved mother several years ago, and after burying her, their house burned down and her mother's research was stolen. After the fire, Iris, who inherited her passion for plants from her mother, has been trying to find out what happened, along with the other women of the Wimpole Street Widows Society. Finally, she gets a lead. An earl is claiming to have created a hybrid plant, the exact same hybrid her mother was working on at the time of her death, and he claims Iris's mother was a fraud. There's only one thing to do: gather the widows and head to the earl's country estate to steal her mother's research back. But when Iris arrives, she finds the greenhouses and manor house more protected than she anticipated.
Oliver Beckett has been hired by the earl to guard his estate, a much-needed job to support his mother and sister. After he unearthed a corruption scandal at the Bow Street Runners, Oliver was fired and then blacklisted from other investigative jobs because he got on the wrong side of some powerful men. It took him a year to land this job, and he is determined to make a success of it. When he catches Mrs. Iris Rumford skulking around the earl's greenhouse in the middle of the night, he is convinced she has a sinister motive. But he's also very attracted to this clearly brilliant woman. Now he's stuck between what he feels and what he thinks, as the earl has ordered him to keep the estate safe—the estate where Oliver's family now lives—but he wants to get closer to Iris.
I think this book struggled because it was trying to do too much. The romance and heist didn't feel cohesive enough for my taste, especially because the heist plot was abandoned for a substantial chunk of the second act. By the time we got back to that part of the story, I felt like we were entering a different novel after reading a more traditional historical romance.
The romance writing in this book was the most successful part of it, in my opinion. I think Christina Britton did a great job of establishing who Iris and Oliver are at the beginning of the novel and giving them very clear stakes to overcome in order to be together. Each of their stories is rooted in family, specifically duty to family, and how they each see fulfilling that duty. Iris is clearly neurodivergent, which led to issues with her father and late husband, so she is cautious around new people, but Oliver really loves the quirkier parts of her. I also really loved Iris's relationship with Oliver's mother and sister. It made the third act of the romance more powerful because Iris had grown to care about those women, too.
I just don't think the heist plot was successfully executed. Plotting and writing a heist is a technical exercise requiring careful pacing. I thought the heist was well set up, but it was abandoned in the second act of the novel. I did think Christina Britton landed the plane well with it, but it didn't feel cohesive with the romance. Had she woven more of the heist into the middle of the book, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
It looks like Euphemia is next in line for her own novel, and I am very excited for her story. She is very interesting with all her disguises, and I wonder what her past was like.
I'm giving this one 3 stars. I really enjoyed parts of the novel, but I just felt like it wasn't technically at the level of what I know Christina Britton can produce.
Thanks to Forever for the complimentary ARC.
Botanist Iris Rumford lost her beloved mother several years ago, and after burying her, their house burned down and her mother's research was stolen. After the fire, Iris, who inherited her passion for plants from her mother, has been trying to find out what happened, along with the other women of the Wimpole Street Widows Society. Finally, she gets a lead. An earl is claiming to have created a hybrid plant, the exact same hybrid her mother was working on at the time of her death, and he claims Iris's mother was a fraud. There's only one thing to do: gather the widows and head to the earl's country estate to steal her mother's research back. But when Iris arrives, she finds the greenhouses and manor house more protected than she anticipated.
Oliver Beckett has been hired by the earl to guard his estate, a much-needed job to support his mother and sister. After he unearthed a corruption scandal at the Bow Street Runners, Oliver was fired and then blacklisted from other investigative jobs because he got on the wrong side of some powerful men. It took him a year to land this job, and he is determined to make a success of it. When he catches Mrs. Iris Rumford skulking around the earl's greenhouse in the middle of the night, he is convinced she has a sinister motive. But he's also very attracted to this clearly brilliant woman. Now he's stuck between what he feels and what he thinks, as the earl has ordered him to keep the estate safe—the estate where Oliver's family now lives—but he wants to get closer to Iris.
I think this book struggled because it was trying to do too much. The romance and heist didn't feel cohesive enough for my taste, especially because the heist plot was abandoned for a substantial chunk of the second act. By the time we got back to that part of the story, I felt like we were entering a different novel after reading a more traditional historical romance.
The romance writing in this book was the most successful part of it, in my opinion. I think Christina Britton did a great job of establishing who Iris and Oliver are at the beginning of the novel and giving them very clear stakes to overcome in order to be together. Each of their stories is rooted in family, specifically duty to family, and how they each see fulfilling that duty. Iris is clearly neurodivergent, which led to issues with her father and late husband, so she is cautious around new people, but Oliver really loves the quirkier parts of her. I also really loved Iris's relationship with Oliver's mother and sister. It made the third act of the romance more powerful because Iris had grown to care about those women, too.
I just don't think the heist plot was successfully executed. Plotting and writing a heist is a technical exercise requiring careful pacing. I thought the heist was well set up, but it was abandoned in the second act of the novel. I did think Christina Britton landed the plane well with it, but it didn't feel cohesive with the romance. Had she woven more of the heist into the middle of the book, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
It looks like Euphemia is next in line for her own novel, and I am very excited for her story. She is very interesting with all her disguises, and I wonder what her past was like.
I'm giving this one 3 stars. I really enjoyed parts of the novel, but I just felt like it wasn't technically at the level of what I know Christina Britton can produce.
Thanks to Forever for the complimentary ARC.
Did Not Finish
June 18, 2026This is my first read of this author. I made it to 36% but was just so bored and had to force myself to keep reading (it was an ARC), but I just couldn’t do it anymore. Not for me so DNF.
June 30, 2026
When Iris discovers her mother’s academic adversary is attempting to take credit for her work she enlists the help of her friends, The Widows, to help crack the case. While investigating, she stumbles (quite literally) into ex-Bow Street Runner, and new Head of Plant Security - Oliver Becket. Oliver is just trying to support his sister and mother after uncovering a corruption plot at Bow Street and losing his livelihood. He’s trying to fly under the radar and do a good job, even if a mysterious and beautiful bluestocking keeps getting in the way.
Iris is one of those characters that is so instantly endearing. The way this author handles her neurodiversity was well-done and I felt like I could really understand Iris when we were in her POV. I also found it so beautiful how careful and understanding Oliver is at almost every interaction. Where she normally feels like too much or misunderstood, he finds her perfect just the way she is - swoon! And his family - also just perfection in terms of accepting Iris for who she is.
This was a fun historical romance with sleight heist vibes, a neurodivergent botanist heroine, and the ex-Bow Street Runner who can’t resist her!
4/5
Thank you to Forever for the finished copy and eARC of this novel.
Botanist FMC, ex-bow street runner, she picks locks, autistic heroine, plant bodyguard,
Iris is one of those characters that is so instantly endearing. The way this author handles her neurodiversity was well-done and I felt like I could really understand Iris when we were in her POV. I also found it so beautiful how careful and understanding Oliver is at almost every interaction. Where she normally feels like too much or misunderstood, he finds her perfect just the way she is - swoon! And his family - also just perfection in terms of accepting Iris for who she is.
This was a fun historical romance with sleight heist vibes, a neurodivergent botanist heroine, and the ex-Bow Street Runner who can’t resist her!
4/5
Thank you to Forever for the finished copy and eARC of this novel.
Botanist FMC, ex-bow street runner, she picks locks, autistic heroine, plant bodyguard,
May 11, 2026
Christina Britton’s You Had Me at Heist officially confirmed that I will apparently read absolutely anything if you hand me a morally decent man in a waistcoat, a brilliant woman everyone underestimates, and a slightly chaotic group of widows quietly committing crimes for justice while sipping tea and plotting revenge. Forever and NetGalley, thank you so much for the gifted ARC because this book felt like someone took Bridgerton, mixed it with an Ocean’s Eight energy board, added stolen botanical research, yearning in greenhouses, female rage, neurodivergent representation, and soft emotional devastation, then wrapped the entire thing in velvet ribbon and candlelight.
And honestly? I ate it up with the enthusiasm of a Victorian woman seeing indoor plumbing for the first time.
This is technically a historical romance, but it’s also a story about grief, identity, belonging, and finally finding people who truly see you instead of trying to make you smaller. Iris Rumford absolutely stole my heart from the beginning. She’s awkward, anxious, deeply intelligent, and carries years of loneliness and self-doubt after being dismissed by society for simply existing differently than everyone expects her to. After losing her beloved mother and discovering that her mother’s groundbreaking botanical research was stolen by a pompous aristocratic fraud determined to claim it as his own, Iris decides she’s done being quiet about injustice.
And honestly? Good for her. Burn the patriarchy and steal the journals back, queen.
Watching Iris work alongside the Wimpole Street Widows Society was one of my favorite parts of this book. These women are messy, loyal, determined, loving, and willing to risk absolutely everything for one another. The found-family dynamics here felt warm and lived in, like stepping into a drawing room where everyone’s emotionally damaged but still bringing snacks and emotional support. Their friendship gave the story so much heart underneath all the tension and romance.
Then we have Oliver Beckett, who immediately walked onto the page carrying the exhausted energy of a man who’s been punished for doing the right thing one too many times. Oliver is a disgraced former Bow Street Runner who lost his career because of corruption and now spends most of his time trying to support his mother and sister while swallowing his pride to survive. When he takes a job guarding the estate of the very man who stole Iris’s mother’s work, things obviously spiral from there because fate said, “What if we made two good people emotionally suffer for 350 pages first?”
The chemistry between Iris and Oliver was exactly my kind of slow-burn torture. Every encounter felt layered with tension, suspicion, attraction, and mutual admiration neither of them quite knew what to do with. And what made their relationship so beautiful was that Oliver never treated Iris like she was “too much” or strange or difficult. He saw her exactly as she was — brilliant, loyal, passionate, vulnerable — and loved her harder because of it.
There’s one moment involving a wrist pad he makes for her that genuinely made me stop and stare at the wall for a minute because apparently acts of practical care are now my Roman Empire.
“Iris, I would burn the world down for you if you asked me to.”
Sir. PLEASE. Some of us are trying to behave responsibly in public.
What Christina Britton does so well here is balance tenderness with intrigue. Yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s longing. Yes, there’s enough yearning to fuel an entire Regency ballroom for a decade. But there’s also this deeply satisfying undercurrent of justice running through the story. Iris fighting for her mother’s legacy mattered. Watching women support one another in a society designed to silence them mattered. Oliver choosing integrity over convenience mattered.
And somehow the entire book still manages to feel cozy.
The pacing starts softer and more character-driven before slowly building into something sneakier and more emotionally gripping. The actual “heist” element leans more emotional intrigue than full-blown action chaos, so if you’re expecting explosions and elaborate criminal masterminds, this isn’t that kind of story. But if your favorite romances are the ones built on trust, emotional safety, mutual respect, and that aching kind of yearning where two people slowly become each other’s safe place? This book absolutely understands the assignment.
I also loved how much care was given to Iris as a character. So often women who are socially anxious, awkward, or coded as neurodivergent in historical romance are treated like they need to transform before they’re worthy of love. That never happens here. Oliver doesn’t fall for some polished version of Iris. He falls for the real woman standing in front of him — passionate, fiercely loyal, occasionally overwhelmed, endlessly intelligent, and braver than she realizes. And honestly? That made this romance hit even harder emotionally.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 stars
“She wanted justice. He wanted to protect her. Unfortunately for both of them, love arrived first.”
By the end of this book I was fully ready to join the Wimpole Street Widows Society myself despite the small issue that I would absolutely fail every stealth mission because I trip over flat surfaces and cannot whisper. But emotionally? Spiritually? I’m there.
Tell me your favorite historical romance couple because apparently I’m entering my “emotionally attached to fictional people in waistcoats” era and there may be no return. 💐✨
#YouHadMeAtHeist #ChristinaBritton #HistoricalRomance #RomanceBooks #BookReview #Bookstagram #NetGalley #ForeverPublishing #SlowBurnRomance #FoundFamily #HistoricalFiction #BridgertonVibes #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishLife #RomanceReader #FemaleFriendships #CozyReads #MustReadRoma
And honestly? I ate it up with the enthusiasm of a Victorian woman seeing indoor plumbing for the first time.
This is technically a historical romance, but it’s also a story about grief, identity, belonging, and finally finding people who truly see you instead of trying to make you smaller. Iris Rumford absolutely stole my heart from the beginning. She’s awkward, anxious, deeply intelligent, and carries years of loneliness and self-doubt after being dismissed by society for simply existing differently than everyone expects her to. After losing her beloved mother and discovering that her mother’s groundbreaking botanical research was stolen by a pompous aristocratic fraud determined to claim it as his own, Iris decides she’s done being quiet about injustice.
And honestly? Good for her. Burn the patriarchy and steal the journals back, queen.
Watching Iris work alongside the Wimpole Street Widows Society was one of my favorite parts of this book. These women are messy, loyal, determined, loving, and willing to risk absolutely everything for one another. The found-family dynamics here felt warm and lived in, like stepping into a drawing room where everyone’s emotionally damaged but still bringing snacks and emotional support. Their friendship gave the story so much heart underneath all the tension and romance.
Then we have Oliver Beckett, who immediately walked onto the page carrying the exhausted energy of a man who’s been punished for doing the right thing one too many times. Oliver is a disgraced former Bow Street Runner who lost his career because of corruption and now spends most of his time trying to support his mother and sister while swallowing his pride to survive. When he takes a job guarding the estate of the very man who stole Iris’s mother’s work, things obviously spiral from there because fate said, “What if we made two good people emotionally suffer for 350 pages first?”
The chemistry between Iris and Oliver was exactly my kind of slow-burn torture. Every encounter felt layered with tension, suspicion, attraction, and mutual admiration neither of them quite knew what to do with. And what made their relationship so beautiful was that Oliver never treated Iris like she was “too much” or strange or difficult. He saw her exactly as she was — brilliant, loyal, passionate, vulnerable — and loved her harder because of it.
There’s one moment involving a wrist pad he makes for her that genuinely made me stop and stare at the wall for a minute because apparently acts of practical care are now my Roman Empire.
“Iris, I would burn the world down for you if you asked me to.”
Sir. PLEASE. Some of us are trying to behave responsibly in public.
What Christina Britton does so well here is balance tenderness with intrigue. Yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s longing. Yes, there’s enough yearning to fuel an entire Regency ballroom for a decade. But there’s also this deeply satisfying undercurrent of justice running through the story. Iris fighting for her mother’s legacy mattered. Watching women support one another in a society designed to silence them mattered. Oliver choosing integrity over convenience mattered.
And somehow the entire book still manages to feel cozy.
The pacing starts softer and more character-driven before slowly building into something sneakier and more emotionally gripping. The actual “heist” element leans more emotional intrigue than full-blown action chaos, so if you’re expecting explosions and elaborate criminal masterminds, this isn’t that kind of story. But if your favorite romances are the ones built on trust, emotional safety, mutual respect, and that aching kind of yearning where two people slowly become each other’s safe place? This book absolutely understands the assignment.
I also loved how much care was given to Iris as a character. So often women who are socially anxious, awkward, or coded as neurodivergent in historical romance are treated like they need to transform before they’re worthy of love. That never happens here. Oliver doesn’t fall for some polished version of Iris. He falls for the real woman standing in front of him — passionate, fiercely loyal, occasionally overwhelmed, endlessly intelligent, and braver than she realizes. And honestly? That made this romance hit even harder emotionally.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 stars
“She wanted justice. He wanted to protect her. Unfortunately for both of them, love arrived first.”
By the end of this book I was fully ready to join the Wimpole Street Widows Society myself despite the small issue that I would absolutely fail every stealth mission because I trip over flat surfaces and cannot whisper. But emotionally? Spiritually? I’m there.
Tell me your favorite historical romance couple because apparently I’m entering my “emotionally attached to fictional people in waistcoats” era and there may be no return. 💐✨
#YouHadMeAtHeist #ChristinaBritton #HistoricalRomance #RomanceBooks #BookReview #Bookstagram #NetGalley #ForeverPublishing #SlowBurnRomance #FoundFamily #HistoricalFiction #BridgertonVibes #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishLife #RomanceReader #FemaleFriendships #CozyReads #MustReadRoma
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
You Had Me at Heist is the second book in Christina Britton’s charming Wimpole Street Widows Society series, and once again, she delivers a delightful blend of romance, intrigue, and heart. This series follows a sisterhood of widows who band together to seek justice and right the wrongs life has thrown their way. Beyond their shared losses, they provide each other with friendship, courage, and the hope of finding a happily ever after of their own.
This installment is Iris Rumford’s story. Iris hasn’t had an easy life—her marriage was far from happy, and society sees her as a little odd. Yet joining the Wimpole Street Widows Society has given her a sense of belonging and the first steps toward healing. After her mother’s death, Iris is determined to complete her mother’s lifelong work in botany and secure the recognition she deserves. But tragedy strikes when a fire destroys her home, and her mother’s precious journals are stolen. When she discovers that the despicable Lord Durand plans to claim her mother’s groundbreaking studies as his own, Iris resolves to expose him and protect her mother’s legacy at all costs.
Enter Oliver Beckett, a man of integrity and quiet strength. Once a Bow Street Runner, he’s now struggling to support his mother and sister after losing his job. When Lord Durand offers him a position guarding his estate and botanical collection—plus a small cottage for his family—Oliver readily accepts. He expects a simple job. After all, who would want to steal plants? Certainly not someone like Iris Rumford… or so he thinks. Their first encounters are filled with suspicion and sparks, as Oliver is determined to do his duty, and Iris is equally determined to reclaim what’s rightfully hers.
The chemistry between Iris and Oliver unfolds beautifully. Iris is a wonderfully nuanced heroine—determined, honest, and vulnerable, with subtle social anxiety that Christina Britton portrays with warmth and authenticity. Oliver’s journey is equally satisfying as he sheds his initial doubts and comes to see Iris not as an oddity but as utterly fascinating. The slow-burn romance is tender and earnest, and moments like Oliver crafting a wrist pad for Iris will make your heart melt.
Supporting characters, from Oliver’s loving mother and spirited sister to the loyal Wimpole Street widows, enrich the story and provide humor, comfort, and heart. There’s just the right mix of tension, romance, and adventure to keep the pages turning.
In short, Christina Britton has crafted a lively, heartfelt, and utterly charming romance. You Had Me at Heist is a story of love, trust, and the courage. Fans of historical romance with a dash of intrigue—and anyone who loves seeing two deserving souls find their happily ever after—will be absolutely enchanted.
A charming, heartfelt, and delightfully romantic success. Christina Britton once again showcases her talent for crafting historical romances that are captivating, full of warmth, and a must-read for fans of the genre.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for this free advanced copy, this is my honest and voluntary review; all opinions are my own.
This installment is Iris Rumford’s story. Iris hasn’t had an easy life—her marriage was far from happy, and society sees her as a little odd. Yet joining the Wimpole Street Widows Society has given her a sense of belonging and the first steps toward healing. After her mother’s death, Iris is determined to complete her mother’s lifelong work in botany and secure the recognition she deserves. But tragedy strikes when a fire destroys her home, and her mother’s precious journals are stolen. When she discovers that the despicable Lord Durand plans to claim her mother’s groundbreaking studies as his own, Iris resolves to expose him and protect her mother’s legacy at all costs.
Enter Oliver Beckett, a man of integrity and quiet strength. Once a Bow Street Runner, he’s now struggling to support his mother and sister after losing his job. When Lord Durand offers him a position guarding his estate and botanical collection—plus a small cottage for his family—Oliver readily accepts. He expects a simple job. After all, who would want to steal plants? Certainly not someone like Iris Rumford… or so he thinks. Their first encounters are filled with suspicion and sparks, as Oliver is determined to do his duty, and Iris is equally determined to reclaim what’s rightfully hers.
The chemistry between Iris and Oliver unfolds beautifully. Iris is a wonderfully nuanced heroine—determined, honest, and vulnerable, with subtle social anxiety that Christina Britton portrays with warmth and authenticity. Oliver’s journey is equally satisfying as he sheds his initial doubts and comes to see Iris not as an oddity but as utterly fascinating. The slow-burn romance is tender and earnest, and moments like Oliver crafting a wrist pad for Iris will make your heart melt.
Supporting characters, from Oliver’s loving mother and spirited sister to the loyal Wimpole Street widows, enrich the story and provide humor, comfort, and heart. There’s just the right mix of tension, romance, and adventure to keep the pages turning.
In short, Christina Britton has crafted a lively, heartfelt, and utterly charming romance. You Had Me at Heist is a story of love, trust, and the courage. Fans of historical romance with a dash of intrigue—and anyone who loves seeing two deserving souls find their happily ever after—will be absolutely enchanted.
A charming, heartfelt, and delightfully romantic success. Christina Britton once again showcases her talent for crafting historical romances that are captivating, full of warmth, and a must-read for fans of the genre.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for this free advanced copy, this is my honest and voluntary review; all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Iris Rumford is a member of the Wimpole Street Widows Society, a group of widows who covertly rectify injustices. She has been searching for the one responsible for stealing her late mother’s botanical works. Iris is shocked to discover the thief intends to take credit for her mother’s ground-breaking research. When she and the widows try to reclaim the stolen journals, a lone guard thwarts their every attempt. Can Iris keep the culprit from publishing her mother’s works as his own?
Oliver Beckett is a former (and disgraced) Bow Street Runner. He struggles to find employment to support his widowed mother and younger sister. Oliver accepts a position to safeguard a noble’s botanical collection. He senses something suspicious about his new employer, but he chooses to ignore his instincts. Oliver spots a mysterious yet beautiful stranger near a glasshouse he guards. Her presence threatens his job. Will Oliver continue to put his family’s safety over his instincts?
I could not help but connect with Iris in the prior book. She is different from the heroines I generally prefer. Her idiosyncrasies are what made Iris stand out to me. I understand why some people would find them off-putting or odd to deal with. Not me, I thought they added to her charm. What I love the most about Iris is her steadfast determination to reclaim her mother’s stolen work. She wants her mother to receive the recognition, especially in her field, that she rightly deserves.
I admit that I am a little disappointed that Iris was not paired off with Parsons. However, I do feel that Oliver is a better fit. This generally does not happen to me. Once I get stuck on wanting a certain pairing, I tend to lose enthusiasm for the story if it does not happen.
My heart went out to Oliver. He is the unfortunate victim to the corruption within his previous job’s hierarchy. I understand the dilemma that Oliver faced. He made the difficult decision to swallow his morals for his mother and sister’s benefit. I imagine Oliver despised himself for that. What I love the most about Oliver is how easily he accepted Iris. He did not find her odd but refreshing. Oliver also got outraged on her part whenever someone disparaged her.
YOU HAD ME AT HEIST is the second installment in Christina Britton’s historical romance series, WIMPOLE STREET WIDOWS SOCIETY. This story can easily stand alone. I do recommend starting with TO HEIST AND TO HOLD before starting this book. What I adore the most about this series is that most of the characters (save for one) belong to the working/middle class than aristocracy. It is a nice change of pace for me, especially in this genre. Yeah, I am still not fond of the widow aspect, but that is my own personal quirk.
Heloise and Ethan, the couple from the prior book, do make an appearance. Though Heloise appears more in the story than her husband. I am a little bummed that Ethan’s business partners did not have a role in the story. Perhaps the author will consider writing a spin-off series about them. Teagan and Parsons deserve a book!
Oliver Beckett is a former (and disgraced) Bow Street Runner. He struggles to find employment to support his widowed mother and younger sister. Oliver accepts a position to safeguard a noble’s botanical collection. He senses something suspicious about his new employer, but he chooses to ignore his instincts. Oliver spots a mysterious yet beautiful stranger near a glasshouse he guards. Her presence threatens his job. Will Oliver continue to put his family’s safety over his instincts?
I could not help but connect with Iris in the prior book. She is different from the heroines I generally prefer. Her idiosyncrasies are what made Iris stand out to me. I understand why some people would find them off-putting or odd to deal with. Not me, I thought they added to her charm. What I love the most about Iris is her steadfast determination to reclaim her mother’s stolen work. She wants her mother to receive the recognition, especially in her field, that she rightly deserves.
I admit that I am a little disappointed that Iris was not paired off with Parsons. However, I do feel that Oliver is a better fit. This generally does not happen to me. Once I get stuck on wanting a certain pairing, I tend to lose enthusiasm for the story if it does not happen.
My heart went out to Oliver. He is the unfortunate victim to the corruption within his previous job’s hierarchy. I understand the dilemma that Oliver faced. He made the difficult decision to swallow his morals for his mother and sister’s benefit. I imagine Oliver despised himself for that. What I love the most about Oliver is how easily he accepted Iris. He did not find her odd but refreshing. Oliver also got outraged on her part whenever someone disparaged her.
YOU HAD ME AT HEIST is the second installment in Christina Britton’s historical romance series, WIMPOLE STREET WIDOWS SOCIETY. This story can easily stand alone. I do recommend starting with TO HEIST AND TO HOLD before starting this book. What I adore the most about this series is that most of the characters (save for one) belong to the working/middle class than aristocracy. It is a nice change of pace for me, especially in this genre. Yeah, I am still not fond of the widow aspect, but that is my own personal quirk.
Heloise and Ethan, the couple from the prior book, do make an appearance. Though Heloise appears more in the story than her husband. I am a little bummed that Ethan’s business partners did not have a role in the story. Perhaps the author will consider writing a spin-off series about them. Teagan and Parsons deserve a book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Christina Britton had me at the meet cute between Iris & Oliver! Seriously, I was just as shocked (& pleased) as Iris at the first employment of her self defence training.
Oliver, a former Bow Street Runner, lost his position when he decided to do the moral thing. A year later, he is finally hired to guard (predominantly) the greenhouses & grounds on an estate by a very powerful lord. What Oliver doesn’t reckon on is finding a woman peering into a greenhouse late one night. A woman who takes him down in one fell swoop, then proceeds to be so shocked she rolls him on his side to pat his back in hopes of aiding in him catching his breath.
Iris Rumford not only lost her mother five years prior, but her mother’s botanical research when just a week after her mother’s death, their house goes up in flames. With her mother’s research appearing to disappear just prior to the fire. Now after all this time with no leads, Iris overhears that the research her mother worked so hard on is being published by a man who loathed her mother. Iris now has a place to start the search for her mother’s missing notebooks & nothing will stand in her way in uncovering them, not even falling for the man who unknowingly is hired to guard them.
I love how Britton wrote Iris’s neurodiversity. Iris’s battle between not believing in herself & her talent’s in botany & lock picking. Of the Wimple Street Widows, I loved Euphemia’s ability to see Iris’s non verbal struggles & to try her best to aid in whatever way Iris needed. I love this band of women, who will not let anything stand in their way of solving the problems set forth before them. Iris’s candid honesty, well beyond her attempts to conceal why she was there, made for such a refreshing communication style between her and Oliver. I adored her reactions & how she interacts with Oliver throwing him off balance.
Oliver. Oh this fictional man had my heart. When he notices how Iris when upset scratches at her wrist, not only does he take her hands in his to cease her self-harm, he creates one of the most beautiful gifts for her. It made me very emotional, seeing him truly see her, even in such a short amount of time. His struggle between his morals & the safety of his own family made me love him all the more. How he may have needed a push by his mother to allow himself to do what he wanted to all along & aid Iris even after he finds out the suspicions he had of her were well founded. Putting not only Oliver at risk but his mother & sister.
From Britton’s author’s note it appears that this may be the last book she publishes with Forever, which is very disheartening. With HR being on the decline in traditional publishing, I truly hope Britton continues writing historical romance as her writing style truly calls to my heart. I was really hoping for Euphemia to have her own story. Keeping my fingers crossed that it might eventually happen.
I received a gifted eARC.
Oliver, a former Bow Street Runner, lost his position when he decided to do the moral thing. A year later, he is finally hired to guard (predominantly) the greenhouses & grounds on an estate by a very powerful lord. What Oliver doesn’t reckon on is finding a woman peering into a greenhouse late one night. A woman who takes him down in one fell swoop, then proceeds to be so shocked she rolls him on his side to pat his back in hopes of aiding in him catching his breath.
Iris Rumford not only lost her mother five years prior, but her mother’s botanical research when just a week after her mother’s death, their house goes up in flames. With her mother’s research appearing to disappear just prior to the fire. Now after all this time with no leads, Iris overhears that the research her mother worked so hard on is being published by a man who loathed her mother. Iris now has a place to start the search for her mother’s missing notebooks & nothing will stand in her way in uncovering them, not even falling for the man who unknowingly is hired to guard them.
I love how Britton wrote Iris’s neurodiversity. Iris’s battle between not believing in herself & her talent’s in botany & lock picking. Of the Wimple Street Widows, I loved Euphemia’s ability to see Iris’s non verbal struggles & to try her best to aid in whatever way Iris needed. I love this band of women, who will not let anything stand in their way of solving the problems set forth before them. Iris’s candid honesty, well beyond her attempts to conceal why she was there, made for such a refreshing communication style between her and Oliver. I adored her reactions & how she interacts with Oliver throwing him off balance.
Oliver. Oh this fictional man had my heart. When he notices how Iris when upset scratches at her wrist, not only does he take her hands in his to cease her self-harm, he creates one of the most beautiful gifts for her. It made me very emotional, seeing him truly see her, even in such a short amount of time. His struggle between his morals & the safety of his own family made me love him all the more. How he may have needed a push by his mother to allow himself to do what he wanted to all along & aid Iris even after he finds out the suspicions he had of her were well founded. Putting not only Oliver at risk but his mother & sister.
From Britton’s author’s note it appears that this may be the last book she publishes with Forever, which is very disheartening. With HR being on the decline in traditional publishing, I truly hope Britton continues writing historical romance as her writing style truly calls to my heart. I was really hoping for Euphemia to have her own story. Keeping my fingers crossed that it might eventually happen.
I received a gifted eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this story and this is my freely given opinion.
This is the second story in the series, and does feel like it can be read as a stand alone story.
Iris Rumford had lost the person she cared for most in the world when she lost her beloved mother. She had already been abandoned long before by her father, and her marriage had been a disappointment to say the least. And now she has lost the person who gave her the most love, influence, and support in her life, her talented, loving, dedicated batonist mother. But if that was not enough, shortly after losing her mother, Iris loses her childhood home to a terrible fire. Determined to ensure that her mother's research is not lost, Iris makes her way through the fire to try to save her mother's journals, only to discover they have been stolen and the fire was likely set to hide the theft.
Heartbreaking. But luckily she does have the support of her godmother, and found a home with her, and her fellow widows at the Wimpole Street house. And when it is discovered that a fellow botanist, Lord Durand, is about to publish the research of her mother's, claiming it as his own, Iris and the widows must take action to regain the stolen journals, and preserve her mother's name and legacy.
But standing in their way is a disgraced Bow Street Runner, hired by Durand to protect what he claims is his work, until his grand reveal. Oliver Beckett is a man of integrity and a talented investigator turned whistleblower, but punished and shunned for his actions. In order to provide income and security for his mother and sister, he is forced to take on a job as a private duty guard for Durand. He is deeply suspicious of the mysterious widows who suddenly show up at Durand's, especially after he has already caught Iris sneaking about the property. He is determined to keep and eye on the women, especially Iris, but also determined to stay away from her because of his inconvenient attraction to the woman. However, his rebellious sister also strikes up an unexpected friendship with Iris and Oliver finds himself caught between a growing attraction and friendship with Iris, and his duty to Durand.
Enemies to lovers historical romance with humor and heart. I enjoyed the appealing earnest awkwardness of the character of Iris as she grapples with her role in the heist, and balancing that with a growing friendship with Oliver and his family. Oliver knows there is something Iris is hiding from him, and finds himself caught between his duty to his employer, his duty and concern for his family, and his growing trust and relationship with Iris. I also quite enjoy the friendship and buddy component of the story with the dynamic between the widows. It has an Ocean's Eight feel to the story for me that I rather enjoyed.
4 stars out of 5
This is the second story in the series, and does feel like it can be read as a stand alone story.
Iris Rumford had lost the person she cared for most in the world when she lost her beloved mother. She had already been abandoned long before by her father, and her marriage had been a disappointment to say the least. And now she has lost the person who gave her the most love, influence, and support in her life, her talented, loving, dedicated batonist mother. But if that was not enough, shortly after losing her mother, Iris loses her childhood home to a terrible fire. Determined to ensure that her mother's research is not lost, Iris makes her way through the fire to try to save her mother's journals, only to discover they have been stolen and the fire was likely set to hide the theft.
Heartbreaking. But luckily she does have the support of her godmother, and found a home with her, and her fellow widows at the Wimpole Street house. And when it is discovered that a fellow botanist, Lord Durand, is about to publish the research of her mother's, claiming it as his own, Iris and the widows must take action to regain the stolen journals, and preserve her mother's name and legacy.
But standing in their way is a disgraced Bow Street Runner, hired by Durand to protect what he claims is his work, until his grand reveal. Oliver Beckett is a man of integrity and a talented investigator turned whistleblower, but punished and shunned for his actions. In order to provide income and security for his mother and sister, he is forced to take on a job as a private duty guard for Durand. He is deeply suspicious of the mysterious widows who suddenly show up at Durand's, especially after he has already caught Iris sneaking about the property. He is determined to keep and eye on the women, especially Iris, but also determined to stay away from her because of his inconvenient attraction to the woman. However, his rebellious sister also strikes up an unexpected friendship with Iris and Oliver finds himself caught between a growing attraction and friendship with Iris, and his duty to Durand.
Enemies to lovers historical romance with humor and heart. I enjoyed the appealing earnest awkwardness of the character of Iris as she grapples with her role in the heist, and balancing that with a growing friendship with Oliver and his family. Oliver knows there is something Iris is hiding from him, and finds himself caught between his duty to his employer, his duty and concern for his family, and his growing trust and relationship with Iris. I also quite enjoy the friendship and buddy component of the story with the dynamic between the widows. It has an Ocean's Eight feel to the story for me that I rather enjoyed.
4 stars out of 5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tropes: neurodivergent MFC; MMC is a (former) Bow Street Runner; Big Secret
Steam level: 3
Part of a series, but works fine on its own.
3.5 stars squeaked up. I like this book in the series better than the last, and it has everything to do with the characters. MFC Iris has always felt odd (today she would be considered on the spectrum) and the author does a pretty good job of capturing some of the most salient traits of her neurodiversity while also making her sympathetic. At times the oversharing and outbursts of info is overdone, but the portrayal works as a whole. Iris is admirably devoted to the memory of her mom; the reader feels the depth of sorrow she carries regarding her parent's death and the betrayal of her life's work.
More positives:
I enjoyed the back and forth between Iris and MMC Oliver, at the early stages of their relationship in particular. What was most refreshing, though, was the wonderful bond Iris had with the rest of the Widows, especially Sylvia. It felt like a truly supportive sisterhood. I also thought the relationship between Iris and Oliver's mom was thoughtfully developed and very moving. Not a lot of HR's these days portray genuinely emotional, supportive female relationships, even if they pay lip service to the concept. This one does.
Not crazy about (POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD):
While I liked the idea of a stoic MMC like Oliver being paired with Iris, he was too hot/cold at times. A key secondary character who could have been a nice sounding board for him was his sister, but she wasn't well developed. Also, his motivations for staying in Durand's employment as long as he did weren't convincing (he could have talked it over with his mom a lot sooner, as well as Iris). He had a bad feeling from the beginning, so the justification was pretty weak. There were moments that worked between him and Iris, though, particularly when he was embracing her uniqueness. I think if the romance had been more of a slow burn in the second half, with the MC's getting to know each other better, I would have preferred it.
Also, while everything wraps up in a way that at least is satisfying for Iris's character arc, the plot is improbable throughout. And the baddie isn't well developed at all, which detracted from the suspense for me.
Overall, this second entry in the series showcases a thoughtful portrayal of a neurodivergent MFC and her relationships with female secondary characters. The romance is endearing but slightly undercooked. The plot is secondary.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest, voluntary review. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this opportunity.
Steam level: 3
Part of a series, but works fine on its own.
3.5 stars squeaked up. I like this book in the series better than the last, and it has everything to do with the characters. MFC Iris has always felt odd (today she would be considered on the spectrum) and the author does a pretty good job of capturing some of the most salient traits of her neurodiversity while also making her sympathetic. At times the oversharing and outbursts of info is overdone, but the portrayal works as a whole. Iris is admirably devoted to the memory of her mom; the reader feels the depth of sorrow she carries regarding her parent's death and the betrayal of her life's work.
More positives:
I enjoyed the back and forth between Iris and MMC Oliver, at the early stages of their relationship in particular. What was most refreshing, though, was the wonderful bond Iris had with the rest of the Widows, especially Sylvia. It felt like a truly supportive sisterhood. I also thought the relationship between Iris and Oliver's mom was thoughtfully developed and very moving. Not a lot of HR's these days portray genuinely emotional, supportive female relationships, even if they pay lip service to the concept. This one does.
Not crazy about (POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD):
While I liked the idea of a stoic MMC like Oliver being paired with Iris, he was too hot/cold at times. A key secondary character who could have been a nice sounding board for him was his sister, but she wasn't well developed. Also, his motivations for staying in Durand's employment as long as he did weren't convincing (he could have talked it over with his mom a lot sooner, as well as Iris). He had a bad feeling from the beginning, so the justification was pretty weak. There were moments that worked between him and Iris, though, particularly when he was embracing her uniqueness. I think if the romance had been more of a slow burn in the second half, with the MC's getting to know each other better, I would have preferred it.
Also, while everything wraps up in a way that at least is satisfying for Iris's character arc, the plot is improbable throughout. And the baddie isn't well developed at all, which detracted from the suspense for me.
Overall, this second entry in the series showcases a thoughtful portrayal of a neurodivergent MFC and her relationships with female secondary characters. The romance is endearing but slightly undercooked. The plot is secondary.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest, voluntary review. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Christina Britton returns with the second novel in the Wimpole Street Widows Society, 'You Had Me At Heist'. While it is a part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In this novel, we have the story of Iris Rumford, a botanist and widow. She had come to stay with the Widows after the passing of her mother and a fire that has destroyed her home. She has learned that the fire was a cover for the theft of her mother's work and the thief is going to publish the findings and take credit for it. The widows decide to help her by stealing the work back and exposing the thief.
Iris suffers from anxiety and after arriving at the country estate, she goes out on a surveillance of the thief only to run into the guard, Oliver Beckett watching over the three glass houses and the property. Oliver was a former Bow Street Runner, who has been struggling to find employment. He has a strong moral code which I found refreshing. He senses that something is not quite right with the group of women, but has no actual proof of any wrongdoing. As he spends more time with Iris, he comes to care for her.
To the readers, this historical romance does feature a lesbian couple, not prominently in the story, but I thought it should be noted. The two main characters, Iris and Oliver are a delight. Their enemies to friends to lovers storyline is a delight to read. I found the Widows to be wonderful companions for Iris with their own unique talents to help the group. Olivery's mother and sister also fill a gap in story for a different side of Iris that she didn't know she was missing. It gave her the opportunity to deal with the loss of her mother and build a friendship with Oliver's family.
Iris's adversary, Lord Durand seems to be someone who is hard to like. A pompous, overbearing Lord who look down at people beneath him. He was well written in the sense that he had no redeeming qualities that made the reader not like him. He is a thief, who had no problem using his wealth and power to get rid of the people standing in his way. I couldn't help but root for him to receive his comeuppance.
For those of you looking for a historical romance that is set in historical England built on friendship, courage and hope, then this novel is for you. Not a novel filled with fluff as I like to say, it had substance and heart. Great addition to the historical romance genre. I will watching for the next novel.
Christina Britton returns with the second novel in the Wimpole Street Widows Society, 'You Had Me At Heist'. While it is a part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In this novel, we have the story of Iris Rumford, a botanist and widow. She had come to stay with the Widows after the passing of her mother and a fire that has destroyed her home. She has learned that the fire was a cover for the theft of her mother's work and the thief is going to publish the findings and take credit for it. The widows decide to help her by stealing the work back and exposing the thief.
Iris suffers from anxiety and after arriving at the country estate, she goes out on a surveillance of the thief only to run into the guard, Oliver Beckett watching over the three glass houses and the property. Oliver was a former Bow Street Runner, who has been struggling to find employment. He has a strong moral code which I found refreshing. He senses that something is not quite right with the group of women, but has no actual proof of any wrongdoing. As he spends more time with Iris, he comes to care for her.
To the readers, this historical romance does feature a lesbian couple, not prominently in the story, but I thought it should be noted. The two main characters, Iris and Oliver are a delight. Their enemies to friends to lovers storyline is a delight to read. I found the Widows to be wonderful companions for Iris with their own unique talents to help the group. Olivery's mother and sister also fill a gap in story for a different side of Iris that she didn't know she was missing. It gave her the opportunity to deal with the loss of her mother and build a friendship with Oliver's family.
Iris's adversary, Lord Durand seems to be someone who is hard to like. A pompous, overbearing Lord who look down at people beneath him. He was well written in the sense that he had no redeeming qualities that made the reader not like him. He is a thief, who had no problem using his wealth and power to get rid of the people standing in his way. I couldn't help but root for him to receive his comeuppance.
For those of you looking for a historical romance that is set in historical England built on friendship, courage and hope, then this novel is for you. Not a novel filled with fluff as I like to say, it had substance and heart. Great addition to the historical romance genre. I will watching for the next novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mere days after the death of her beloved mother, Iris Rumford’s childhood home was burned to the ground to hide the theft of her mother’s life work. Iris was devastated and offered sanctuary by her godmother, Sylvia Lutton, Lady Vastkern, for the next five years, Iris tries to put her loss behind her and assist the Wimpole Street Widows Society with her botany knowledge and other skills. But when she learns that the Earl of Durand is claiming that her mother’s life’s work is his own and goes a step further to say that she stole his work! Outrage consumes her, and the widows all agree, the man needs to be stopped! But that is easier said than done, first they need to find the stolen papers and that won’t be easy since the earl has hired Oliver Beckett, a former Bow Street Runner to keep his estate secure. And to complicate things even more, Oliver Beckett is the most intriguing man Iris has ever met, and she is falling hard for him!
Oliver Beckett stood by his convictions a year ago and it cost him his livelihood and his family’s security. After almost a year without employment, Lord Durand was the first person to offer him a position and while he doesn’t like or trust the man, he can’t afford to let his personal feeling interfere with his job again. So, when he comes across Iris Rumford spying on Lord Durand’s greenhouses in the predawn hours, he is immediately suspicious and also a bit enamored by her. The more he gets to know her, the more he wants to help her, but doing the right thing in the past has hurt his family and he can’t let that happen again. Will he risk everything for love, or will he play it safe and lose the love of his life to keep his job?
I loved this installment; it is well-written and nicely paced and Iris and Oliver are a wonderful couple who are just perfect for each other. The story has a lot of emotion, a heroine with a compulsive disorder, a hero who would burn the world for her, great secondary characters, a nasty villain, some spice, a lot of love, found family and finally, a very satisfying ending complete with an epilogue. This is the second book in the series, but this book could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would enthusiastically recommend it to my fellow historical romance readers!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Oliver Beckett stood by his convictions a year ago and it cost him his livelihood and his family’s security. After almost a year without employment, Lord Durand was the first person to offer him a position and while he doesn’t like or trust the man, he can’t afford to let his personal feeling interfere with his job again. So, when he comes across Iris Rumford spying on Lord Durand’s greenhouses in the predawn hours, he is immediately suspicious and also a bit enamored by her. The more he gets to know her, the more he wants to help her, but doing the right thing in the past has hurt his family and he can’t let that happen again. Will he risk everything for love, or will he play it safe and lose the love of his life to keep his job?
I loved this installment; it is well-written and nicely paced and Iris and Oliver are a wonderful couple who are just perfect for each other. The story has a lot of emotion, a heroine with a compulsive disorder, a hero who would burn the world for her, great secondary characters, a nasty villain, some spice, a lot of love, found family and finally, a very satisfying ending complete with an epilogue. This is the second book in the series, but this book could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would enthusiastically recommend it to my fellow historical romance readers!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You Had Me at Heist is a charming historical romance with a strong premise and a wonderfully atmospheric setup, but it didn’t fully land for me the way I wanted it to. HOWEVER! And that is a very strong however. I think it’s a me issue, not a book issue.
Iris Rumford is definitely the highlight of the book. She feels layered in a very grounded way. She’s grieving her mother, underestimated by society, and quietly furious about the theft of her mother’s botanical work. Her decision to stop being polite about injustice gives the story its spark, and I really enjoyed watching her step into herself, especially with the support of the Widows Society. The found family dynamic among the widows is honestly one of the strongest parts of the book; they bring warmth, chaos, and solidarity in a way that makes the story feel cozy even when the stakes are personal and tense.
The romance between Iris and Oliver has a lot of potential. The slow burn tension is there, and there are moments of real softness between them that worked well especially when Oliver sees Iris as she is rather than trying to reshape her into something more socially acceptable. That emotional safety and mutual respect is probably the best part of their connection.
That said, Oliver felt a bit underdeveloped compared to Iris. I understood his motivations on paper, but emotionally he didn’t quite come into focus in the same way, which made the central romance feel uneven at times. I also found the pacing a little flat in the middle. It was more introspective than propulsive which worked for the character work but dulled the momentum of the “heist” storyline. The “heist” element itself is more emotional and investigative than high-stakes or twist-heavy, so in the end, it’s really more about grief, justice, and reclaiming agency than elaborate plotting.
Overall, I appreciated what this book was trying to do: a tender, feminist-leaning historical romance with found family, emotional healing, and a morally satisfying core conflict. I just wished the romance and pacing had a bit more sharpness to match the strength of Iris’s storyline. I also think I’m just not a huge regency or historical romance kinda girl…. which again, is a ME issue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this eARC!
Iris Rumford is definitely the highlight of the book. She feels layered in a very grounded way. She’s grieving her mother, underestimated by society, and quietly furious about the theft of her mother’s botanical work. Her decision to stop being polite about injustice gives the story its spark, and I really enjoyed watching her step into herself, especially with the support of the Widows Society. The found family dynamic among the widows is honestly one of the strongest parts of the book; they bring warmth, chaos, and solidarity in a way that makes the story feel cozy even when the stakes are personal and tense.
The romance between Iris and Oliver has a lot of potential. The slow burn tension is there, and there are moments of real softness between them that worked well especially when Oliver sees Iris as she is rather than trying to reshape her into something more socially acceptable. That emotional safety and mutual respect is probably the best part of their connection.
That said, Oliver felt a bit underdeveloped compared to Iris. I understood his motivations on paper, but emotionally he didn’t quite come into focus in the same way, which made the central romance feel uneven at times. I also found the pacing a little flat in the middle. It was more introspective than propulsive which worked for the character work but dulled the momentum of the “heist” storyline. The “heist” element itself is more emotional and investigative than high-stakes or twist-heavy, so in the end, it’s really more about grief, justice, and reclaiming agency than elaborate plotting.
Overall, I appreciated what this book was trying to do: a tender, feminist-leaning historical romance with found family, emotional healing, and a morally satisfying core conflict. I just wished the romance and pacing had a bit more sharpness to match the strength of Iris’s storyline. I also think I’m just not a huge regency or historical romance kinda girl…. which again, is a ME issue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was quirky, offbeat and utterly charming!
The MCs get off on the wrong foot, or rather back – his on the ground, hers against the wall.
He knows she’s up to something, but her artlessness sets him off-kilter, and she can’t lie to save her life, but she can omit certain details... if her mouth isn’t faster than her brain.
Iris – guileless odd duck, widow, passionate botanist, expert lockpicker, candid & curious, has difficulty reading people, can lay a man flat in 2.4 seconds and is determined to reclaim her mother’s stolen legacy
Oliver – former military man and Runner ousted for exposing Bow Street’s rotten core, impeccable instincts, dutiful family man, struggling with his moral compass, and now nightguard for the villain
The heist and making sure the arrogant piece-of-sh** villain (I do appreciate a well-written vile scumbag) doesn’t get away with his crimes are the red thread throughout this tale, but it’s the simple things that made this book absolutely wonderful for me.
Like how every plan, no matter how carefully crafted and executed, goes wrong till the very last one. Or how Oli’s mom and sister fall even harder and faster for Iris than he does. Or how Iris’s fellow widows all care for her in their own way, even when Iris doesn’t always notices.
I loved how considerate Oli remains even though Iris is supposed to be the enemy, how even when seriously in doubt he never jumps to conclusions (he does end up jumping in the river, but that’s something for you to discover) and his gift... my heart! So perfect!!
And eccentric but sweet, witty, insecure Iris; she’s always wondering when her luck will run out, or when her fellow widows will run out of patience. She’s rational and strong, yet so vulnerable. Her delight and amazement at discovering a man who likes her just the way she is, who understands and respects her, and to see her heal from all that old hurt, was so gorgeous!
Especially since Oli does it unconsciously. It felt real and precious, and marvellously heartwarming – and Iris’s reaction after he proposes is pure gold!
The MCs get off on the wrong foot, or rather back – his on the ground, hers against the wall.
He knows she’s up to something, but her artlessness sets him off-kilter, and she can’t lie to save her life, but she can omit certain details... if her mouth isn’t faster than her brain.
Iris – guileless odd duck, widow, passionate botanist, expert lockpicker, candid & curious, has difficulty reading people, can lay a man flat in 2.4 seconds and is determined to reclaim her mother’s stolen legacy
Oliver – former military man and Runner ousted for exposing Bow Street’s rotten core, impeccable instincts, dutiful family man, struggling with his moral compass, and now nightguard for the villain
The heist and making sure the arrogant piece-of-sh** villain (I do appreciate a well-written vile scumbag) doesn’t get away with his crimes are the red thread throughout this tale, but it’s the simple things that made this book absolutely wonderful for me.
Like how every plan, no matter how carefully crafted and executed, goes wrong till the very last one. Or how Oli’s mom and sister fall even harder and faster for Iris than he does. Or how Iris’s fellow widows all care for her in their own way, even when Iris doesn’t always notices.
I loved how considerate Oli remains even though Iris is supposed to be the enemy, how even when seriously in doubt he never jumps to conclusions (he does end up jumping in the river, but that’s something for you to discover) and his gift... my heart! So perfect!!
And eccentric but sweet, witty, insecure Iris; she’s always wondering when her luck will run out, or when her fellow widows will run out of patience. She’s rational and strong, yet so vulnerable. Her delight and amazement at discovering a man who likes her just the way she is, who understands and respects her, and to see her heal from all that old hurt, was so gorgeous!
Especially since Oli does it unconsciously. It felt real and precious, and marvellously heartwarming – and Iris’s reaction after he proposes is pure gold!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you’re looking for a historical romance that feels equal parts charming, tender, and quietly swoony, *You Had Me at Heist* by Christina Britton absolutely delivers.
This one centers around a brilliant lady botanist (we love a woman in STEM — especially in a corset 💐) and a hero who carries far more responsibility on his shoulders than most people realize. From the start, I loved the balance between her intelligence and independence and his steady, selfless nature. He works so hard, often without recognition, and there’s something deeply attractive about a man who doesn’t need applause to do the right thing.
What really makes this story shine, though, is the hero’s humility. He isn’t flashy or arrogant — he’s thoughtful, humble, and quietly devoted. And when you get to the ending? You’ll *know* exactly what I mean. There’s a particular moment that just seals the entire story in the sweetest, most satisfying way. It’s one of those romantic gestures that doesn’t scream for attention but instead whispers something meaningful — and somehow that makes it even more powerful.
The romance itself is soft and steady — the kind that builds through shared purpose, mutual respect, and stolen moments rather than dramatic fireworks. It felt easy to read in the best way, like settling into a cozy afternoon with tea and a story you know will treat your heart kindly.
If you love historical romances with intelligent heroines, hardworking (and humble!) heroes, and a romance that feels sincere and sweet, this one is such a lovely pick.
**Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR🖤
Follow me on Instagram for honest reviews, bookish freebies & giveaways! 🖤
This one centers around a brilliant lady botanist (we love a woman in STEM — especially in a corset 💐) and a hero who carries far more responsibility on his shoulders than most people realize. From the start, I loved the balance between her intelligence and independence and his steady, selfless nature. He works so hard, often without recognition, and there’s something deeply attractive about a man who doesn’t need applause to do the right thing.
What really makes this story shine, though, is the hero’s humility. He isn’t flashy or arrogant — he’s thoughtful, humble, and quietly devoted. And when you get to the ending? You’ll *know* exactly what I mean. There’s a particular moment that just seals the entire story in the sweetest, most satisfying way. It’s one of those romantic gestures that doesn’t scream for attention but instead whispers something meaningful — and somehow that makes it even more powerful.
The romance itself is soft and steady — the kind that builds through shared purpose, mutual respect, and stolen moments rather than dramatic fireworks. It felt easy to read in the best way, like settling into a cozy afternoon with tea and a story you know will treat your heart kindly.
If you love historical romances with intelligent heroines, hardworking (and humble!) heroes, and a romance that feels sincere and sweet, this one is such a lovely pick.
**Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR🖤
Follow me on Instagram for honest reviews, bookish freebies & giveaways! 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really loved Iris and Oliver's story! While this can work as a standalone if you're willing to let go of some minor references to the first book, I think it's better if you have read the first book. I found the setup of the first book to be a little confusing and chaotic, but this one was clear and straightforward: A bad guy has stolen the life's work of Iris's late mom (a botanist) and set fire to Iris's house (with Iris in it!) to cover up the crime. The bad guy plans to claim credit for the work. Iris and the other widows are determined to identify and unmask the bad guy by any means necessary. After five long years, Iris discovers the identity of the thief (Lord Durand) and the fact that he plans to announce his "discovery" in the next few weeks. The widows all move next door to Lord D's country house and plan to infiltrate it and steal back Iris's mom's journals and documentation.
Meanwhile, Oliver used to be a Bow Street Runner but taking a noble stand ended up with him losing his job and being blacklisted for any other. Desperate to take care of his mom and sister, he takes a job providing security for Lord D. It isn't long before he finds Iris skulking about Lord D's greenhouse, and sparks immediately fly.
What follows is an utterly charming story about two outcasts falling in love while battling each other and their respective positions on the science theft. The secondary characters are delightful, especially Oliver's mom and sister. The pacing is smooth, the characters are well developed, and the explanations of the botany are clear without getting overwhelmingly scientific.
If you like found families, bio families, intrigue, lockpicking, botany, country houses, and close female friendships, this one's for you!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
Meanwhile, Oliver used to be a Bow Street Runner but taking a noble stand ended up with him losing his job and being blacklisted for any other. Desperate to take care of his mom and sister, he takes a job providing security for Lord D. It isn't long before he finds Iris skulking about Lord D's greenhouse, and sparks immediately fly.
What follows is an utterly charming story about two outcasts falling in love while battling each other and their respective positions on the science theft. The secondary characters are delightful, especially Oliver's mom and sister. The pacing is smooth, the characters are well developed, and the explanations of the botany are clear without getting overwhelmingly scientific.
If you like found families, bio families, intrigue, lockpicking, botany, country houses, and close female friendships, this one's for you!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
June 17, 2026
4.5/5 This one pulled me in right away. Between their backstories and what they each had on the line set the high stakes early on.
Making me wonder the whole time how it would work for them to achieve their HEA. Because what Iris is trying to accomplish goes directly against what Oliver cannot let happen again. They both have valid reasons and loved the way this played into the romance and was a concern that stayed present throughout. The buildup to the actual heist and romance is a slow burn but each page added to the tension.
This book features some of my favorite (micro) tropes of found family, lock picking skills, and the heroine connecting with the hero’s family.
Besides when she was with her mother, Iris has always known she’s odd. She had a horrible first marriage and even living with the Wimpole Street Widow Society Iris thinks she’s still one bad decision away from them turning her away. Her social anxiety is something she works through several times throughout. She finds strength from herself and others around her to work through them. I enjoyed that she continues to find inner strength and braver than she thinks.
Oliver is in a situation he’s wary about before he even meets Iris but his options are limited. Then when he meets Iris, he’s even more cautious of her and what she’s potentially up to. And how it could put his sister and mother’s welfare in jeopardy. But he just can’t keep Iris out of his head. Once he gets to know her too, he is everything Iris deserves and should’ve had all this time.
This could be read as a standalone and I enjoyed it more than the first in the series.
You Had Me at Heist is the second book in the Wimpole Street Widows Society series.
There are three open door encounters.
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.
Making me wonder the whole time how it would work for them to achieve their HEA. Because what Iris is trying to accomplish goes directly against what Oliver cannot let happen again. They both have valid reasons and loved the way this played into the romance and was a concern that stayed present throughout. The buildup to the actual heist and romance is a slow burn but each page added to the tension.
This book features some of my favorite (micro) tropes of found family, lock picking skills, and the heroine connecting with the hero’s family.
Besides when she was with her mother, Iris has always known she’s odd. She had a horrible first marriage and even living with the Wimpole Street Widow Society Iris thinks she’s still one bad decision away from them turning her away. Her social anxiety is something she works through several times throughout. She finds strength from herself and others around her to work through them. I enjoyed that she continues to find inner strength and braver than she thinks.
Oliver is in a situation he’s wary about before he even meets Iris but his options are limited. Then when he meets Iris, he’s even more cautious of her and what she’s potentially up to. And how it could put his sister and mother’s welfare in jeopardy. But he just can’t keep Iris out of his head. Once he gets to know her too, he is everything Iris deserves and should’ve had all this time.
This could be read as a standalone and I enjoyed it more than the first in the series.
You Had Me at Heist is the second book in the Wimpole Street Widows Society series.
There are three open door encounters.
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.
June 11, 2026
The second installment in the Wimple Street Widow Society follows widow Iris as she, along with the help of the other widows, attempts to stop the man who stole her late mother’s botany research from claiming her successes as her own. In the process she runs into Oliver, the private guard he has hired to guard his greenhouses. Oliver is attempting to support his family after the loss of his job as a Bow Street Runner and struggles to reconcile his investigative instincts that tell him he can trust Iris’ even as he suspects she’s up to something.
While this book does involve a plot, (as in a scheme, a heist) the plot does fall to the periphery for part of the novel, which is narratively explainable by Iris not being as central to some of the plotting due to the suspicions already on her and the threat of her being recognized. It also narrows in narratively, mirroring how Iris’ narrows in on her interests. And, even as the might not feel as active, it solves some of the narrative hurdles the first book faced in the front half of a lot of exposition. Here it felt like we were introduced to the other widows as they wove in and out of Iris’ story. And we really focused on Iris’ emotional journey.
Iris’ neurodivergence, and Oliver’s meeting of her at every moment where she feels insecure was navigated so well. His gift to her was such a sweet hero’s gesture, showing he sees and accepts her exactly as she is, something she is not used to.
One to the things I loved most about the first book, To Heist and to Hold, was the way it handled the information reveal toward the climax, and especially how the hero responded, subverting some expectations. We had that same satisfaction here, with Oliver conflicted by his attraction to and trust in Iris, his own moral compass and his sense of duty to provide for his family.
The parallelism between Iris’ mission and Oliver’s backstory works so well. And his family, especially his mother and the relationship Iris’ develops with her, was beautiful and demonstrative of how Oliver brings Iris himself, but also the joy and love of the companionship of others.
Thank you to Forever for the digital ARC for review.
While this book does involve a plot, (as in a scheme, a heist) the plot does fall to the periphery for part of the novel, which is narratively explainable by Iris not being as central to some of the plotting due to the suspicions already on her and the threat of her being recognized. It also narrows in narratively, mirroring how Iris’ narrows in on her interests. And, even as the might not feel as active, it solves some of the narrative hurdles the first book faced in the front half of a lot of exposition. Here it felt like we were introduced to the other widows as they wove in and out of Iris’ story. And we really focused on Iris’ emotional journey.
Iris’ neurodivergence, and Oliver’s meeting of her at every moment where she feels insecure was navigated so well. His gift to her was such a sweet hero’s gesture, showing he sees and accepts her exactly as she is, something she is not used to.
One to the things I loved most about the first book, To Heist and to Hold, was the way it handled the information reveal toward the climax, and especially how the hero responded, subverting some expectations. We had that same satisfaction here, with Oliver conflicted by his attraction to and trust in Iris, his own moral compass and his sense of duty to provide for his family.
The parallelism between Iris’ mission and Oliver’s backstory works so well. And his family, especially his mother and the relationship Iris’ develops with her, was beautiful and demonstrative of how Oliver brings Iris himself, but also the joy and love of the companionship of others.
Thank you to Forever for the digital ARC for review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 enthusiastic stars!
A common complaint I hear about historical romances published today is that they aren't exciting enough. They're cookie cutter. They don't take us anywhere new. Well, ladies and gentleman, I present you with the 2026 historical romance you've been looking for: You Had Me at Heist!
It features a neurodiverse heroine, well-versed in botany, who is willing to do anything to find her late mother's work. Iris' mother invented plants that would change botany, and medicine, forever. But Iris has reason to believe that someone else is taking credit, and her found family of fierce heroines bands together to help Iris find the truth. Enter our hero, Oliver, a former bow street runner who has every reason to distrust and deny Iris, yet somehow he can't. Will these two find a way to work together before time runs out?
I had SO MUCH FUN with this novel! Gorgeous spice. A hero to adore. Beautiful and organic representation of both neurodiverse and LGBTQIA+ people. And an exploration of love in its many forms: not just romantic, but the love of family, friends, and the people we hold dear long after they're gone. It was a fascinating study of both narcissism and a society that is more readily willing to believe the contributions of rich, powerful men over that of woman of any class.
This is the second book of the Wimpole Street Widows Society, and I'm really hoping for more!
Content warnings: fire, death of a parent, struggles with neurodiversity (lack of acceptance, empathy), concerns over poverty/food & housing insecurity
I'd like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
A common complaint I hear about historical romances published today is that they aren't exciting enough. They're cookie cutter. They don't take us anywhere new. Well, ladies and gentleman, I present you with the 2026 historical romance you've been looking for: You Had Me at Heist!
It features a neurodiverse heroine, well-versed in botany, who is willing to do anything to find her late mother's work. Iris' mother invented plants that would change botany, and medicine, forever. But Iris has reason to believe that someone else is taking credit, and her found family of fierce heroines bands together to help Iris find the truth. Enter our hero, Oliver, a former bow street runner who has every reason to distrust and deny Iris, yet somehow he can't. Will these two find a way to work together before time runs out?
I had SO MUCH FUN with this novel! Gorgeous spice. A hero to adore. Beautiful and organic representation of both neurodiverse and LGBTQIA+ people. And an exploration of love in its many forms: not just romantic, but the love of family, friends, and the people we hold dear long after they're gone. It was a fascinating study of both narcissism and a society that is more readily willing to believe the contributions of rich, powerful men over that of woman of any class.
This is the second book of the Wimpole Street Widows Society, and I'm really hoping for more!
Content warnings: fire, death of a parent, struggles with neurodiversity (lack of acceptance, empathy), concerns over poverty/food & housing insecurity
I'd like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This series has been such a hit for me so far! Britton has written such lovely, fully realized characters you can’t help but fall in love with.
I really appreciated the representation in this novel. While not explicitly said, and perhaps this will appear in the content notes once the book is published, I thought that Britton portrayed what I believe to be a character on the spectrum with tender care and sensitivity.
When her mother’s lifelong work is stolen shortly after her death, Iris sets about finding the culprit. The trail runs cold, but five years later she’s finally found the person responsible for the theft. Not only has he stolen her mother’s work, he has also been defaming her character. With the help of the Wimpole Widows, Iris sets up about restoring her mother’s name and finally getting the justice she deserves.
I absolutely love the found family trope and tie that in with a group of strong, vigilante women, and I’m totally there for it. The strong bond between the women is so lovely to see. I enjoyed the scenes in which they work together to take the nefarious Lord Durand down.
I really loved Iris as a character. Despite her fears, she pushes through to get justice for her mother. The relationship between her and Oliver. It was loving and supportive and wonderful to watch them fall in love. Oliver fully accept Iris as she was and truly saw her. When he created the wrist pad for her I fell in love with him. This was an enjoyable, low angst read with likable characters and a sweet romance.
This series has been such a hit for me so far! Britton has written such lovely, fully realized characters you can’t help but fall in love with.
I really appreciated the representation in this novel. While not explicitly said, and perhaps this will appear in the content notes once the book is published, I thought that Britton portrayed what I believe to be a character on the spectrum with tender care and sensitivity.
When her mother’s lifelong work is stolen shortly after her death, Iris sets about finding the culprit. The trail runs cold, but five years later she’s finally found the person responsible for the theft. Not only has he stolen her mother’s work, he has also been defaming her character. With the help of the Wimpole Widows, Iris sets up about restoring her mother’s name and finally getting the justice she deserves.
I absolutely love the found family trope and tie that in with a group of strong, vigilante women, and I’m totally there for it. The strong bond between the women is so lovely to see. I enjoyed the scenes in which they work together to take the nefarious Lord Durand down.
I really loved Iris as a character. Despite her fears, she pushes through to get justice for her mother. The relationship between her and Oliver. It was loving and supportive and wonderful to watch them fall in love. Oliver fully accept Iris as she was and truly saw her. When he created the wrist pad for her I fell in love with him. This was an enjoyable, low angst read with likable characters and a sweet romance.
June 16, 2026
4.5 stars
The second book in the Wimpole Street Widows Society follows Iris Rumford as she learns that her late mother's botany work has been stolen and is about to be published. Never fever, the widows will get to the bottom of this! They rent a house nearby the estate of the man who has stolen the research to gain information on how to get it back. While poking around at night Iris runs into Oliver Beckett, a disgraced Bow Street Runner who has been hired to guard the property and especially the greenhouses. Neither of them was expecting to feel a spark. But will their separate missions keep them apart?
I really liked the romance of this book. Oliver and Iris are very cute together. It certainly helps that Iris' neurodivergence has her communicating bluntly and with purpose; so, we don't have all of the miscommunication that is rampant in a lot of romances. I also appreciated that we got to see developments in the friendships and between Iris and Sylvia (her godmother and late mom's best friend). This book does have some heisting and suspenseful moments; however, it mostly has a lot of quieter moments of personal and relationship growth. The ending did feel a tiny bit abrupt, but it makes sense for the story to end there.
I am very interested to see where the series goes next! I still would love a prequel of the lady and the boxer establishing the society and falling in love.
*Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Pub and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.*
The second book in the Wimpole Street Widows Society follows Iris Rumford as she learns that her late mother's botany work has been stolen and is about to be published. Never fever, the widows will get to the bottom of this! They rent a house nearby the estate of the man who has stolen the research to gain information on how to get it back. While poking around at night Iris runs into Oliver Beckett, a disgraced Bow Street Runner who has been hired to guard the property and especially the greenhouses. Neither of them was expecting to feel a spark. But will their separate missions keep them apart?
I really liked the romance of this book. Oliver and Iris are very cute together. It certainly helps that Iris' neurodivergence has her communicating bluntly and with purpose; so, we don't have all of the miscommunication that is rampant in a lot of romances. I also appreciated that we got to see developments in the friendships and between Iris and Sylvia (her godmother and late mom's best friend). This book does have some heisting and suspenseful moments; however, it mostly has a lot of quieter moments of personal and relationship growth. The ending did feel a tiny bit abrupt, but it makes sense for the story to end there.
I am very interested to see where the series goes next! I still would love a prequel of the lady and the boxer establishing the society and falling in love.
*Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Pub and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.*
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 Stars - You Had Me at Heist is a clever, heartfelt caper where a brilliant botanist widow becomes the most unlikely avenger. Iris Rumford loses her home in a fire…...only to discover it wasn’t misfortune - it was arson. Lord Durand, pompous menace and full‑time sleazeball, torched her mother's house so he could steal her discoveries and publish them as his own. Christina Britton makes him so perfectly detestable that waiting for his downfall feels like a spectator sport.
Enter Oliver Beckett is a former Bow Street Runner and is currently hired to protect Durand’s estate and glasshouses. Yes, the man guarding the villain ends up falling for the heroine. Oliver starts out suspicious of Iris and her merry band of widows, but his moral compass is so straight it could slice diamonds. The more time he spends with Iris, the faster he realizes who the real threat is…...and it’s definitely not the anxious botanist sneaking around with a purpose.
Their slow-blooming enemies‑to‑friends‑to‑lovers arc is tender, steady, and full of quiet courage. The Widows are delightful chaos with a mission, Oliver’s family gives Iris the warmth she’s been missing, and the heist itself is executed with heart, humor, and righteous satisfaction. Not fluffy — just rich, warm, and wonderfully triumphant. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Enter Oliver Beckett is a former Bow Street Runner and is currently hired to protect Durand’s estate and glasshouses. Yes, the man guarding the villain ends up falling for the heroine. Oliver starts out suspicious of Iris and her merry band of widows, but his moral compass is so straight it could slice diamonds. The more time he spends with Iris, the faster he realizes who the real threat is…...and it’s definitely not the anxious botanist sneaking around with a purpose.
Their slow-blooming enemies‑to‑friends‑to‑lovers arc is tender, steady, and full of quiet courage. The Widows are delightful chaos with a mission, Oliver’s family gives Iris the warmth she’s been missing, and the heist itself is executed with heart, humor, and righteous satisfaction. Not fluffy — just rich, warm, and wonderfully triumphant. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 4, 2026
Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the eARC, I really had a great time while reading this! Historical fiction always manages to scratch an itch in my brain.
The characters in this story were all so vibrant and alive. Iris, the FMC, is quirky and sweet and definitely on the spectrum (welcome to the club babe). She’s determined to get her late mother the recognition she deserves in the botany community, is loyal to both of her found families, and she speaks her mind, so she is what I’d consider an icon.
Oliver, the MMC, has a strong sense of duty to his job and to his family. He blames himself for the hard times his family has fallen in and takes on a somewhat undesirable job to bring in money to support them. He never would have guessed that this job would lead him to the love of his life and his sister’s new best friend. He was so sweet, you can tell he’s a real mamas boy which was a huge green flag. When he HANDMADE something so Iris would stop picking at her skin when she’s anxious I just about swooned.
The heist aspect was a great storyline. I enjoyed that nothing was ever too easy or unbelievable, and the Widows ran into several bumps along the way.
I like that I didn’t feel lost in the story despite not having read the first book in this series of interconnected standalones, but I am definitely intrigued and will be reading it now. If you’re a lover of historical romance, I think you’d enjoy this!
The characters in this story were all so vibrant and alive. Iris, the FMC, is quirky and sweet and definitely on the spectrum (welcome to the club babe). She’s determined to get her late mother the recognition she deserves in the botany community, is loyal to both of her found families, and she speaks her mind, so she is what I’d consider an icon.
Oliver, the MMC, has a strong sense of duty to his job and to his family. He blames himself for the hard times his family has fallen in and takes on a somewhat undesirable job to bring in money to support them. He never would have guessed that this job would lead him to the love of his life and his sister’s new best friend. He was so sweet, you can tell he’s a real mamas boy which was a huge green flag. When he HANDMADE something so Iris would stop picking at her skin when she’s anxious I just about swooned.
The heist aspect was a great storyline. I enjoyed that nothing was ever too easy or unbelievable, and the Widows ran into several bumps along the way.
I like that I didn’t feel lost in the story despite not having read the first book in this series of interconnected standalones, but I am definitely intrigued and will be reading it now. If you’re a lover of historical romance, I think you’d enjoy this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars
Widow Iris Rumford has faced her fair share of hardships. Joining the Wimpole Street Widows Society has helped her start to heal. Even after her late mother's ground breaking botanical work was stolen & the house burned down to try to hide the crime now five years later her mother’s greatest adversary is about to publish the findings as his own. After a scandal cost Oliver Beckett his job as a Bow Street Runner, he’s spent the last year struggling to provide for his mother and sister. Guarding a lord's precious botanical collection seems too good to be true.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own but of course members of the Wimpole Street Widows Society do appear. This was a delightful rom com with quirky characters. I loved Oliver from the start but found it hard to connect with Iris to begin with. However the more I read the more I liked her. I loved their early meetings where he’s thrown by her saying what ever came into her head, she came across as immature & naïve but behind this artlessness was a shrewd brain. Iris is aided & abetted by the other widows plus she meets Oliver’s sister & they become friends. I loved hoe Oliver started to question what was happening & the penny finally dropped & he realised who the villain was. The pace was slow to begin with but gradually increased. I thoroughly enjoyed it
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
Widow Iris Rumford has faced her fair share of hardships. Joining the Wimpole Street Widows Society has helped her start to heal. Even after her late mother's ground breaking botanical work was stolen & the house burned down to try to hide the crime now five years later her mother’s greatest adversary is about to publish the findings as his own. After a scandal cost Oliver Beckett his job as a Bow Street Runner, he’s spent the last year struggling to provide for his mother and sister. Guarding a lord's precious botanical collection seems too good to be true.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own but of course members of the Wimpole Street Widows Society do appear. This was a delightful rom com with quirky characters. I loved Oliver from the start but found it hard to connect with Iris to begin with. However the more I read the more I liked her. I loved their early meetings where he’s thrown by her saying what ever came into her head, she came across as immature & naïve but behind this artlessness was a shrewd brain. Iris is aided & abetted by the other widows plus she meets Oliver’s sister & they become friends. I loved hoe Oliver started to question what was happening & the penny finally dropped & he realised who the villain was. The pace was slow to begin with but gradually increased. I thoroughly enjoyed it
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
June 21, 2026
Iris' heart hasn't healed from losing her mother. It's made worse by knowing that someone stole her research and burned down their house to hide it, but not even all the talents of the Wimpole Street Widows Society could ever figure out the culprit. Until Iris overhears someone talking about Lord Durand's grand discovery and his plan to unveil it at his estate, and the widows set out to prove it's stolen research. It'll be hard enough proving the perfidy, but they'll also have to deal with Oliver Beckett, a former Bow Street Runner with a reputation in taters and a family to protect. Iris and Oliver clash from the get-go, yet there's something pulling them together that will make both question their path.
I really wanted to like this one. It seems like an interesting case with lots of possibilities for fun. But we don't get to see any of the machinations and planning because we're off seeing Iris befriend an awkward girl and fall in love with the guy who's keeping the widows from achieving their goal. Which, yes, it's sweet, it's just not very original or true to the promise of sleuthing that the premise makes. It also leaves some annoying threads completely open, such as whether Lord Durand faces any real consequences for the theft and fire. I get the book is a romance and the focus has to be there, but tying up the main plot thread would have been nice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the read.
I really wanted to like this one. It seems like an interesting case with lots of possibilities for fun. But we don't get to see any of the machinations and planning because we're off seeing Iris befriend an awkward girl and fall in love with the guy who's keeping the widows from achieving their goal. Which, yes, it's sweet, it's just not very original or true to the promise of sleuthing that the premise makes. It also leaves some annoying threads completely open, such as whether Lord Durand faces any real consequences for the theft and fire. I get the book is a romance and the focus has to be there, but tying up the main plot thread would have been nice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is book 2 of a series but it reads very much like a stand alone novel for how much it centers the two main characters. That focus also means it feels more relationship and character-driven than the prior novel. And these are stellar characters with emotional depth. Iris’s neurodivergence (never explicitly said and repped all the better for it) is accepted and appreciated. Oliver is a man of honor and integrity who finds himself in a difficult situation after being punished for doing the right thing. They are both good and kind, treating others with tenderness and respect. I wanted to protect them at all costs, both individually and as a couple.
The heist provides a solid backdrop for their developing relationship. With Iris and Oliver on opposite sides of the quest to recover stolen property, we are rewarded with plenty of entertaining action, banter and yearning. It did start a bit slowly for me, but it picked up quickly and moved right along, building to a satisfying conclusion. All of this, plus lovely supporting characters and a despicable villain, delivers another thoroughly charming and entertaining historical romance from Christina Britton.
I read this ARC thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity to read and share my views of this novel [which is set for publication on June 16, 2026].
The heist provides a solid backdrop for their developing relationship. With Iris and Oliver on opposite sides of the quest to recover stolen property, we are rewarded with plenty of entertaining action, banter and yearning. It did start a bit slowly for me, but it picked up quickly and moved right along, building to a satisfying conclusion. All of this, plus lovely supporting characters and a despicable villain, delivers another thoroughly charming and entertaining historical romance from Christina Britton.
I read this ARC thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity to read and share my views of this novel [which is set for publication on June 16, 2026].
June 18, 2026
“You Had Me At Heist” is Christina Britton’s second book in her “Wimple Street Widows Society” series. Widow Iris Rumford has come to live with the other widows on Wimple Street after her mother’s house burnt down. While living with the other widows, Iris continues to do her botanical research. She is content until she hears that her dead mother’s ground breaking research, which had been lost, was being published by a rival, who was claiming the work as his own. Iris frantically tries to find out how this can be possible when she meets the greenhouse’s guard, Oliver Beckett, a former Bow Street Runner. Follow these two as their relationship develops while trying to find the truth about the botanical hybrids.
I enjoyed this next installment in the Wimple Street Widows Society. Some of the antics depicted were a little far fetched, but very amusing. Women in this era had few choices and even less rights, so it was fun to read how they tackled and circumvented many of the obstacles they encountered. I liked how the main male character, Oliver, tried to always do the right and moral thing. Good wins over evil in the end. And second chance romances are the best! Though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone book. I wonder who will be featured next in this series? Anyone who likes historical romances with a little bit of spice that is set in Regency England will enjoy this book.
I wish to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the commentary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#YouHadMeAtHeist
#Forever
#NetGalley
#Romance
#RegencyEngland
I enjoyed this next installment in the Wimple Street Widows Society. Some of the antics depicted were a little far fetched, but very amusing. Women in this era had few choices and even less rights, so it was fun to read how they tackled and circumvented many of the obstacles they encountered. I liked how the main male character, Oliver, tried to always do the right and moral thing. Good wins over evil in the end. And second chance romances are the best! Though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone book. I wonder who will be featured next in this series? Anyone who likes historical romances with a little bit of spice that is set in Regency England will enjoy this book.
I wish to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the commentary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#YouHadMeAtHeist
#Forever
#NetGalley
#Romance
#RegencyEngland
June 16, 2026
This is book 2 in a series, and while I didn't read book 1 I can see how it would have added to the backstory of how Iris finds herself in the company of the Wimpole Street Widows Society. That groups of gals are feisty AF and add such a fun dynamic to this story.
Iris suspects that her late mother's life's work is being tactlessly stolen by a man. As a botanist, the work her mother did took many years to come to fruition, yet somehow this man is ready to publish a paper in half of time. She begins to suspect that he's stolen her work, and that the fire that destroyed her house at the beginning of the book was actually a cover up to the theft.
She meets the hero of the book, Oliver, as she begins exploring the thief's house with her wiley group of widows. Oliver has been hired as a security guard of sorts, and is desperate to keep his job due to wanting to keep his sister and mother safe. Iris and Oliver's romance goes slow, as it should. They're at odds right from the start, and their relationship is riddled with secrets upons secrets, yet they somehow find themselves falling for each other.
Their romance was sweet and endearing, yet full of the steamy moments that make me fall in love with the love stories that are embedded in romances. I love how this author wrapped up their angsty romance, and plan to go back and read book 1.
Iris suspects that her late mother's life's work is being tactlessly stolen by a man. As a botanist, the work her mother did took many years to come to fruition, yet somehow this man is ready to publish a paper in half of time. She begins to suspect that he's stolen her work, and that the fire that destroyed her house at the beginning of the book was actually a cover up to the theft.
She meets the hero of the book, Oliver, as she begins exploring the thief's house with her wiley group of widows. Oliver has been hired as a security guard of sorts, and is desperate to keep his job due to wanting to keep his sister and mother safe. Iris and Oliver's romance goes slow, as it should. They're at odds right from the start, and their relationship is riddled with secrets upons secrets, yet they somehow find themselves falling for each other.
Their romance was sweet and endearing, yet full of the steamy moments that make me fall in love with the love stories that are embedded in romances. I love how this author wrapped up their angsty romance, and plan to go back and read book 1.
June 24, 2026
✨ You Had Me at Heist — A Fun, Witty, Heart‑Thumping Review
The short truth first: Christina Britton proves yet again why she’s one of my favorite authors. This book is the perfect blend of wit, adventure, and passion, and once I started, I absolutely could not put it down.
What Britton does so beautifully here is give us a heroine who refuses to be underestimated. Iris Rumford is clever, determined, and carrying the kind of quiet heartbreak that makes you root for her from page one. When she discovers her mother’s stolen botanical research, she doesn’t wilt—she plots. And that’s when the fun truly begins.
Enter Oliver Beckett, the disgraced Bow Street Runner turned reluctant plant‑guard. Their dynamic is delicious: sparks, banter, stubbornness, and that irresistible “I shouldn’t want you, but oh no, I do” tension. Britton writes their chemistry with such warmth and humor that every scene between them feels like a treat.
The adventure is lively, the emotional beats land with real tenderness, and the romance is exactly the kind that wraps around your heart and refuses to let go. Iris and Oliver are unforgettable—two people healing, fighting, and falling for each other in all the best ways.
A charming heist, a fierce heroine, a protective hero, and a romance that blooms beautifully… this story is everything I love about Britton’s writing.
The short truth first: Christina Britton proves yet again why she’s one of my favorite authors. This book is the perfect blend of wit, adventure, and passion, and once I started, I absolutely could not put it down.
What Britton does so beautifully here is give us a heroine who refuses to be underestimated. Iris Rumford is clever, determined, and carrying the kind of quiet heartbreak that makes you root for her from page one. When she discovers her mother’s stolen botanical research, she doesn’t wilt—she plots. And that’s when the fun truly begins.
Enter Oliver Beckett, the disgraced Bow Street Runner turned reluctant plant‑guard. Their dynamic is delicious: sparks, banter, stubbornness, and that irresistible “I shouldn’t want you, but oh no, I do” tension. Britton writes their chemistry with such warmth and humor that every scene between them feels like a treat.
The adventure is lively, the emotional beats land with real tenderness, and the romance is exactly the kind that wraps around your heart and refuses to let go. Iris and Oliver are unforgettable—two people healing, fighting, and falling for each other in all the best ways.
A charming heist, a fierce heroine, a protective hero, and a romance that blooms beautifully… this story is everything I love about Britton’s writing.
February 28, 2026
After the death of her mother, Mrs Iris Rumford vows to carry on her mother’s passion and eagerness of botany. When an awful fire breaks out and her mother’s life work is stolen, she knows she needs to seek out the man responsible trying to pend off her mother’s work as their own. Her plan to spy on the man is thwarted by Oliver Beckett - the new guard stationed at the thief’s estate to protect his stolen collection.
Book 2 in the Widows Society series can be read alone, but I encourage you to read Book 1 as an introduction to the widows. This was a great second novel in the series - I loved our FMC Iris. She was so real and authentically herself; her struggles with anxiety beautifully written for the reader to grasp. I also loved how Oliver was endlessly described as strong and ultra masculine - but he was really just so loyal hearted and a wonderful man. The romance is sweet and beautiful, but their attraction is sexy and thrilling.
Really enjoyed this one! Great for historical romance fans!
🌶️🌶️
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.
Book 2 in the Widows Society series can be read alone, but I encourage you to read Book 1 as an introduction to the widows. This was a great second novel in the series - I loved our FMC Iris. She was so real and authentically herself; her struggles with anxiety beautifully written for the reader to grasp. I also loved how Oliver was endlessly described as strong and ultra masculine - but he was really just so loyal hearted and a wonderful man. The romance is sweet and beautiful, but their attraction is sexy and thrilling.
Really enjoyed this one! Great for historical romance fans!
🌶️🌶️
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews