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Thieves and Other Fatal Attractions
Sloane is sure this art thief will be the death of her. But she won't go down without a fight…
Sloane Walker just wants to repair her sterling reputation at the International Security Agency—even if that means being paired up with Graham Baudelaire, notorious art thief, on a mission in France. He should be rotting behind bars, not pretending to be her criminal mentor so they can catch a ruthless kingpin.
Sloane doesn’t want to die on this doomed assignment. And she definitely doesn’t want to be stuck with the guy who seems to see things about herself that she can’t.
As decades of secrets begin to unravel and their mission is derailed, Sloane and Graham are forced to become allies in order to survive. But how can a spy who’s been trained not to trust anyone ever begin to trust a thief?
For fans of Ally Carter and Natalie Walters, Thieves and Other Fatal Attractions is a romantic adventure with no spice but plenty of action.
Sloane Walker just wants to repair her sterling reputation at the International Security Agency—even if that means being paired up with Graham Baudelaire, notorious art thief, on a mission in France. He should be rotting behind bars, not pretending to be her criminal mentor so they can catch a ruthless kingpin.
Sloane doesn’t want to die on this doomed assignment. And she definitely doesn’t want to be stuck with the guy who seems to see things about herself that she can’t.
As decades of secrets begin to unravel and their mission is derailed, Sloane and Graham are forced to become allies in order to survive. But how can a spy who’s been trained not to trust anyone ever begin to trust a thief?
For fans of Ally Carter and Natalie Walters, Thieves and Other Fatal Attractions is a romantic adventure with no spice but plenty of action.
346 pages, Paperback
Published June 30, 2026
About the author
J.W. Marie
5 books12 followersJ.W. Marie loves writing and reading about complicated people falling in love, whether it's in space or in a small town by the ocean. When her laptop is closed and her Kindle is off, you can find her snuggling her dog or grabbing coffee with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 6, 2026
☆6
Oh my goodness 🥹
This book! I absolutely love everything about it, the characters, the plot, the mystery, the tension and romance!! It was all so good!
Sloane is a spy agent. She’s strong, courageous, intelligent, and resilient. Her trauma and what she went through in Chelyabinsk with Noah just breaks my heart. But even though she went through all of these horrible things she still had her humanity. And no matter what faux identity she was wearing, Graham saw her. All of her. And he loved her fervently.
Graham. This man!🥹 He was a safe space for Sloane. Someone who truly cared for her and loved her. His protectiveness and care for her just made me swoon. As well as when he called her ‘wife’ 🤭 I love that no matter the situation, his first priority was to keep Sloane safe. The moment they were paired together, his plan was to escape, and he easily could, but then Sloane. He fell for her and now she became his priority. His person.
The enemies to lovers plot of the book was amazing! The banter and tension between them was top notch. The mystery and plot twists were incredible. There were so many moments where I just had to stare at the wall to process what happened. It was the best! I 1000% recommend this book. You should definitely read it🤭💕
tropes:
♥️enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
🥀mystery & action
♥️thief x spy
🥀faked marriage
♥️reverse grumpy x sunshine
🥀protective MCs
♥️he takes care of her
🥀forced proximity
♥️touch him/her & d!e
🥀nicknames
♥️single pov
CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language
TW: references to childhood abuse, trauma, being drugged, references to being drugged, on-page death and violence
Oh my goodness 🥹
This book! I absolutely love everything about it, the characters, the plot, the mystery, the tension and romance!! It was all so good!
Sloane is a spy agent. She’s strong, courageous, intelligent, and resilient. Her trauma and what she went through in Chelyabinsk with Noah just breaks my heart. But even though she went through all of these horrible things she still had her humanity. And no matter what faux identity she was wearing, Graham saw her. All of her. And he loved her fervently.
Graham. This man!🥹 He was a safe space for Sloane. Someone who truly cared for her and loved her. His protectiveness and care for her just made me swoon. As well as when he called her ‘wife’ 🤭 I love that no matter the situation, his first priority was to keep Sloane safe. The moment they were paired together, his plan was to escape, and he easily could, but then Sloane. He fell for her and now she became his priority. His person.
The enemies to lovers plot of the book was amazing! The banter and tension between them was top notch. The mystery and plot twists were incredible. There were so many moments where I just had to stare at the wall to process what happened. It was the best! I 1000% recommend this book. You should definitely read it🤭💕
tropes:
♥️enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
🥀mystery & action
♥️thief x spy
🥀faked marriage
♥️reverse grumpy x sunshine
🥀protective MCs
♥️he takes care of her
🥀forced proximity
♥️touch him/her & d!e
🥀nicknames
♥️single pov
CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language
TW: references to childhood abuse, trauma, being drugged, references to being drugged, on-page death and violence
August 3, 2026
Turns out I’m a spy thriller girly. Thank you JW Marie for this gifted copy that showed me what I was missing out on. All thoughts are my own.
This book felt like if Jason Bourne met a romcom and I’m obsessed. I was hooked from page one. The banter was fantastic. The MCs were so relatable and the spy aspect was twisty enough to keep me guessing! To top it all off, she added layers of depth to our characters that made them more than just a spy and a thief, but people falling in love despite their traumas. I cannot wait to read more by her because this is the perfect kind of read to cozy up with on a fall/winter night. 10/10. Perfection.
This book felt like if Jason Bourne met a romcom and I’m obsessed. I was hooked from page one. The banter was fantastic. The MCs were so relatable and the spy aspect was twisty enough to keep me guessing! To top it all off, she added layers of depth to our characters that made them more than just a spy and a thief, but people falling in love despite their traumas. I cannot wait to read more by her because this is the perfect kind of read to cozy up with on a fall/winter night. 10/10. Perfection.
July 9, 2026
4.5 rounded up
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much to the author for the arc!
I loved this book SO much, this has absolutely everything I’d want from a spy based book and so much more! I had such a fun time reading it and keep finding myself thinking about it even after finishing it. I’d been so excited for its release after hearing the concept and it definitely didn’t disappoint in the execution!
The characters were amazing and had so much depth to them, I felt like I instantly connected with them and felt like I got to know them both so well. Sloane is such a strong, independent character and I absolutely loved seeing her growth throughout the book in terms of becoming who she is and finding the ability to be herself through her new found freedom. Her backstory adds so much depth to her and it’s so easy to understand why she handles things the way she does. Graham is one of my favourite male characters ever! His compassion and loyalty is evident throughout and I absolutely loved every little thing he did for Sloane whether she was aware of it or not. He was such a protective character and yet again he has such a well developed backstory that you immediately feel like you know him so well. I loved how he always saw Sloane for who she really is and helped her to see that too. His humour and sarcasm is one of my favourite things too and this contrasted with Sloane’s personality led to so many fun moments. The interactions between the two of them were amazing and I instantly felt the connection between the two of them. The tension and back and forth between them was perfectly done and there was so many moments that had me smiling so much. I loved that its closed door and the pace at which the romance progressed at, the two of them formed so much loyalty to one another and I loved seeing that develop throughout.
The plot itself was so interesting and unique and had so many plot twists I never saw coming, I was genuinely so shocked at times. It was such a layered plot and had so many elements to it but never once felt overwhelming. Everything progressed at the perfect pace and the reveals themselves always made sense and were so clever. I loved the authors writing style, it was so easy to read and so engaging and I always found myself wanting to get back to read more. It had me gripped from the start and it was so easy to become immersed within this story and its characters.
This is my first book by this author but I’ll definitely be checking out her romcom series and looking out for any future releases! I’d recommend this book to everyone and will be rereading it myself again and again! I really hope the author writes more within this genre!
I loved this book SO much, this has absolutely everything I’d want from a spy based book and so much more! I had such a fun time reading it and keep finding myself thinking about it even after finishing it. I’d been so excited for its release after hearing the concept and it definitely didn’t disappoint in the execution!
The characters were amazing and had so much depth to them, I felt like I instantly connected with them and felt like I got to know them both so well. Sloane is such a strong, independent character and I absolutely loved seeing her growth throughout the book in terms of becoming who she is and finding the ability to be herself through her new found freedom. Her backstory adds so much depth to her and it’s so easy to understand why she handles things the way she does. Graham is one of my favourite male characters ever! His compassion and loyalty is evident throughout and I absolutely loved every little thing he did for Sloane whether she was aware of it or not. He was such a protective character and yet again he has such a well developed backstory that you immediately feel like you know him so well. I loved how he always saw Sloane for who she really is and helped her to see that too. His humour and sarcasm is one of my favourite things too and this contrasted with Sloane’s personality led to so many fun moments. The interactions between the two of them were amazing and I instantly felt the connection between the two of them. The tension and back and forth between them was perfectly done and there was so many moments that had me smiling so much. I loved that its closed door and the pace at which the romance progressed at, the two of them formed so much loyalty to one another and I loved seeing that develop throughout.
The plot itself was so interesting and unique and had so many plot twists I never saw coming, I was genuinely so shocked at times. It was such a layered plot and had so many elements to it but never once felt overwhelming. Everything progressed at the perfect pace and the reveals themselves always made sense and were so clever. I loved the authors writing style, it was so easy to read and so engaging and I always found myself wanting to get back to read more. It had me gripped from the start and it was so easy to become immersed within this story and its characters.
This is my first book by this author but I’ll definitely be checking out her romcom series and looking out for any future releases! I’d recommend this book to everyone and will be rereading it myself again and again! I really hope the author writes more within this genre!
Review of advance copy received from Author
🔍First of all, thank you so much to J. W. Marie for the ARC! I had the pleasure to read an ARC of her Christmas romcom last winter and fell in love with her writing/storytelling.
♟️This book is SOOO different from that romcom in so many ways but still so captivating and addictive. This one is mission impossible-esque with spies, thieves, secrets, schemes, and romance of course. The plot was very complex. It kept me guessing and engaged the entire time! I loves the French phrases, the language is so beautiful to me.
🗡️ Sloane is genuinely such an intriguing character. She's strong and independent but forces herself to be numb, to just be a cog in the workings of a greater machine. I loved seeing her grow, seeing her humanity and how she learns to spread her wings and be free. Her backstory is so tragic (so is Graham's) and I just want to give them both a hug. 🥺🥹
🕯️Now GRAHAM BAUDELAIRE. bonjour et j'adore. First... He's French, and British, but like he's an attractive and charismatic art thief. I was literally imagining Neal Caffrey the entire time 🤭 but he's also more than just the criminal Sloane thinks he is. He doesn't ever want to hurt people and he's compassionate and loyal.
🔍 The dynamic between the two of them was so cool because Sloane is a little self-righteous and perturbed by him because he pushes her buttons. Really, he's one of the only people to ever see all her jagged edges and still choose to hold her close. 🥹 They definitely make a WONDERFUL pair 😘🥰🫶 the fake dating/marriage aspect was AMAZING 🤭🤭
♟️ The spy aspects of this book were SO GOOD. Actually, like the secret government agencies situation and the assignments and fights and plans and dangers were written so convincingly. The anger and pain and dirty parts of the job were chilling to read (in a good way).
🗡️ Yeah so if you like mission impossible or James Bourne or White Collar and also like romance, spy x thief and some fake marriage and suspense PICK THIS UP I BEG YOU.
♟️This book is SOOO different from that romcom in so many ways but still so captivating and addictive. This one is mission impossible-esque with spies, thieves, secrets, schemes, and romance of course. The plot was very complex. It kept me guessing and engaged the entire time! I loves the French phrases, the language is so beautiful to me.
🗡️ Sloane is genuinely such an intriguing character. She's strong and independent but forces herself to be numb, to just be a cog in the workings of a greater machine. I loved seeing her grow, seeing her humanity and how she learns to spread her wings and be free. Her backstory is so tragic (so is Graham's) and I just want to give them both a hug. 🥺🥹
🕯️Now GRAHAM BAUDELAIRE. bonjour et j'adore. First... He's French, and British, but like he's an attractive and charismatic art thief. I was literally imagining Neal Caffrey the entire time 🤭 but he's also more than just the criminal Sloane thinks he is. He doesn't ever want to hurt people and he's compassionate and loyal.
🔍 The dynamic between the two of them was so cool because Sloane is a little self-righteous and perturbed by him because he pushes her buttons. Really, he's one of the only people to ever see all her jagged edges and still choose to hold her close. 🥹 They definitely make a WONDERFUL pair 😘🥰🫶 the fake dating/marriage aspect was AMAZING 🤭🤭
♟️ The spy aspects of this book were SO GOOD. Actually, like the secret government agencies situation and the assignments and fights and plans and dangers were written so convincingly. The anger and pain and dirty parts of the job were chilling to read (in a good way).
🗡️ Yeah so if you like mission impossible or James Bourne or White Collar and also like romance, spy x thief and some fake marriage and suspense PICK THIS UP I BEG YOU.
June 25, 2026
Firstly, thank you to author J.W. Marie for the ARC read.
Sloane is a highly trained agent who can more than hold her own, but when she's sent on what appears to be a suicide mission, layers of lies and deceit begin to unravel around her. Unsure who she can trust, she's forced to rely on an unlikely ally: Graham, the charming criminal thief she's been paired with.
If you love Jason Bourne or James Bond but have been craving a strong, intelligent, capable, complex, and fiercely independent FMC, this novel is for you.
Sloane was such a refreshing heroine—competent and resilient while still feeling realistic and relatable.
And let's not forget Graham. This is a man. Charming, caring, and unwaveringly protective, he does everything he can to keep Sloane safe.
Watching Sloane's walls slowly come down as Graham shows up for her time and time again was one of my favorite parts of the story. Truly the MMC we all need.
Marie blends romance, humour, and adventure beautifully, creating fantastic chemistry between Sloane and Graham and plenty of entertaining moments along the way.
This novel is perfect for readers who enjoy romantic escapades with a touch of mischief, suspense, and heart.
Sloane is a highly trained agent who can more than hold her own, but when she's sent on what appears to be a suicide mission, layers of lies and deceit begin to unravel around her. Unsure who she can trust, she's forced to rely on an unlikely ally: Graham, the charming criminal thief she's been paired with.
If you love Jason Bourne or James Bond but have been craving a strong, intelligent, capable, complex, and fiercely independent FMC, this novel is for you.
Sloane was such a refreshing heroine—competent and resilient while still feeling realistic and relatable.
And let's not forget Graham. This is a man. Charming, caring, and unwaveringly protective, he does everything he can to keep Sloane safe.
Watching Sloane's walls slowly come down as Graham shows up for her time and time again was one of my favorite parts of the story. Truly the MMC we all need.
Marie blends romance, humour, and adventure beautifully, creating fantastic chemistry between Sloane and Graham and plenty of entertaining moments along the way.
This novel is perfect for readers who enjoy romantic escapades with a touch of mischief, suspense, and heart.
July 15, 2026
If you are looking for an adventurous read, full of action, drama, adrenaline, twists, and a slow-burn romance- then I have the book for you! This story kept me on the edge of my seat, and by the end I truly wasn’t sure what to expect. Closed-door with plenty of swoony moments, this was an easy five star rating for me. I’m love spy stories I’m realizing, and this one really delivered. I liked how we got more of our FMC’s background all throughout the book instead of all at once, which kept me guessing on some things. I especially liked Graham, our MMC. He was amazing. I wouldn’t have minded getting some of his perspective from his POV, but either way I really liked him. Chapter 45 was my FAVORITE.
I don’t recall any language in the book. There is violence/death/murder.
“I’m a thief, a criminal,” he continues urgently, “I will break a thousand more laws and a thousand more of your rules if it means I can keep you safe.”
“All I cared about was being the hero for you.”
Thank you to the author for the gifted e-copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I don’t recall any language in the book. There is violence/death/murder.
“I’m a thief, a criminal,” he continues urgently, “I will break a thousand more laws and a thousand more of your rules if it means I can keep you safe.”
“All I cared about was being the hero for you.”
Thank you to the author for the gifted e-copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
AH! This book is a MUST read. You receive so much from this book in terms of moments. A moment for comedy, a moment for grieving, a moment for love, a moment for identity crisis, a moment for violence, a moment for suspense, and endless gasps.
Sloane and Graham are a perfect balance and an incredibly well done couple. This book doesn’t give up the plot for the romance or the romance for the plot. You get an amazing taste of both. The twists, the questions, the stolen glances and everything in between was incredible. I LOVED THE END
There’s no language or spice, but there is a good deal of violence and related trigger warnings so readers beware.
🖤Spy x thief
🖤Danger
🖤Identity crisis
🖤Touch them & die
🖤Charming MMC
🖤Black cat FMC
🖤Feminine rage
🖤Proper gentleman
🖤Kisses only
ARC Review. All thoughts are my own.
Sloane and Graham are a perfect balance and an incredibly well done couple. This book doesn’t give up the plot for the romance or the romance for the plot. You get an amazing taste of both. The twists, the questions, the stolen glances and everything in between was incredible. I LOVED THE END
There’s no language or spice, but there is a good deal of violence and related trigger warnings so readers beware.
🖤Spy x thief
🖤Danger
🖤Identity crisis
🖤Touch them & die
🖤Charming MMC
🖤Black cat FMC
🖤Feminine rage
🖤Proper gentleman
🖤Kisses only
ARC Review. All thoughts are my own.
June 25, 2026
Firstly thank you so very much to JW Marie for an ARC of this book! I’m so grateful!
I can’t lie usually I really really dislike the enemies to lover trope. This book has changed my perspective! The writing is so well done especially when speaking about the trauma Sloane goes through. Every sentence is handled with care.
I could picture this story in my head the entire time like it was really happening in Paris right now! Graham & Sloane are my new favourites. I’ve never really had a favourite book couple until now.
I don’t want to give anything away really because it’s honestly better going into this book with only knowing some of the tropes, which are:
• Thief x Spy
• Enemies to Lovers
• Forced proximity
• Fake marriage
• no-spice romance
Oh and how can I forget, ACTION PACKED!! One of my best reads so far this year hands down!
I can’t lie usually I really really dislike the enemies to lover trope. This book has changed my perspective! The writing is so well done especially when speaking about the trauma Sloane goes through. Every sentence is handled with care.
I could picture this story in my head the entire time like it was really happening in Paris right now! Graham & Sloane are my new favourites. I’ve never really had a favourite book couple until now.
I don’t want to give anything away really because it’s honestly better going into this book with only knowing some of the tropes, which are:
• Thief x Spy
• Enemies to Lovers
• Forced proximity
• Fake marriage
• no-spice romance
Oh and how can I forget, ACTION PACKED!! One of my best reads so far this year hands down!
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This book is incredibly entertaining! Think James Bond, but make it female, with a smooth, suave thief as the MMC. The banter was witty and comical!! I couldn’t help but grin.
The author’s writing is so engaging that I could picture myself inside the story as I read. The action is top-notch, and I was questioning everything and everyone. Sloane’s character arc is perfection. —chef’s kiss!
I audibly gasped at the beginning of Chapter 49. Shooketh. 🫡 Well done! Highly Recommend!
💋 only
🤬 none (maybe minor)
Trigger warnings: Character being drugged, references to being drugged On-page death and violence. Dark humor
The author’s writing is so engaging that I could picture myself inside the story as I read. The action is top-notch, and I was questioning everything and everyone. Sloane’s character arc is perfection. —chef’s kiss!
I audibly gasped at the beginning of Chapter 49. Shooketh. 🫡 Well done! Highly Recommend!
💋 only
🤬 none (maybe minor)
Trigger warnings: Character being drugged, references to being drugged On-page death and violence. Dark humor
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love good writing. Sometimes a good story can be completely ruined by poor writing, clunky phrasing, poor word choice, etc. Marie's writing is none of those, rather the opposite - it's elegant, smooth. Even her sense of humor is funnier because it's sneaky, you don't expect it; it's quick and smart. This is a good story, layered and sophisticated while also being very entertaining. I recommend this book not just because it's a good story, but because it's also a pleasure to read.
July 7, 2026
Spy stories are not usually my cup of tea but I could read JW Marie's grocery list. Witty, clever, and snappy are the perfect words for this story. It's a story with grit and gumption that doesn't rely on expletives or spice to make it happen. It's dark without crossing a line and romantic and steamy without ever needing to open the door. Such a fun read with a ton of twists & high action scenes mixed with yearning and banter!! What's not to love!
August 23, 2026
I'm rating this 3.5-4 stars. It was good, but not my favorite genre. The main character was annoying, but it ended well. If you're into spy/action with a tiny bit of romance. This book is for you!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews