To Love a Thief

Steel Hawk #1

by Jane Beckenham

It’s one thing to lose your heart. Quite another to have it stolen.

Steel Hawk, Book 1

Years ago, notorious jewel thief “The Raven” vanished into the shadows. In 1851, Nathan Hawk emerges into a life of respectability, determined to make up for past sins.

He and his business partner are introducing a lock they’re so sure can’t be broken, they’re displaying a priceless diamond, the Pasha Star, at the Great Exhibition. It’s bad enough catching a light-fingered young man trying to steal the stone. Worse when he realizes it’s the daughter of his old mentor.

Rose Valetta’s father has been kidnapped, and she needs the Star to buy his freedom. She never expected to come nose-to-nose with Nathan. Their reunion is fraught with tension, especially when they discover the diamond in Nathan’s impregnable case is not the Pasha Star.

With Nathan’s reputation in tatters, they race to find the real stone before it’s too late for Rose’s father. Too late to save the empire from a usurper. And too late to keep from losing their hearts.

Contains a woman who dreams of a world with a level playing field, and an ex-thief who can run from his past but can’t hide from it.

Genres: Romance

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2016

About the author

Author Jane Beckenham found literature at a young age. In books she discovered dreams and hope, stories that inspired in her a love of romance, and travel. Years later, after a blind date, Jane found her own true love and married him eleven months later.
Life has been a series of „dreams‟ for Jane. Dreaming of learning to walk again after spending years in hospital. Dreaming of raising a family and subsequently flying to Russia to bring home her two adopted daughters. And of course, dreaming of writing.
With her family growing up, life is a round of playing mum's taxi service, all the while wondering what her hero and heroine are up to behind her back! Writing is Jane‟s addiction—and it sure beats housework.

Reviews

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1851 and Rose Valetta wants to be independent. She doesn't think she should rely on a husband for her income and safety. She and her father are close and her father has taught his daughter the family trade, jewelry making. They're good at reproducing stones and that is what gets Rose's father in trouble. Someone kidnaps him, to force him to copy the Pasha Star, the country Zarrenburg's most precious diamond. Someone wants to steal the original and Rose needs to find out who, to rescue her father and prevent the precious stone from ending up in the wrong hands.

Nathan Hawk used to be a famous thief, but after learning a trade and fleeing to America he's now an honest man, back in his hometown to promote his latest invention, a lock that can't be broken. The lock is supposed to protect the Pasha Star, but someone has already switched it for a fake. Nathan and Rose have a common goal, to find Rose's father and the stone. They used to know each other, Nathan and Rose worked together when Nathan was her father's apprentice and when he left he broke her heart. Will they be able to set their differences aside, so they can discover who is behind the abduction and the theft and prevent disaster from happening?

To Love a Thief is a wonderful romantic story. Rose is a strong woman. She's smart, talented and determined. She doesn't worry about her own safety when it comes to uncovering the truth about her father's disappearance. I was immediately captivated by her strong personality. Nathan and Rose are a good match. Rose doesn't let him get away with anything and they have an easy and heartwarming friendship. I loved reading about these two beautiful people and couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to see if they'd manage to solve their problems and get a second chance together.

Jane Beckenham combines romance with an action-packed story. Rose and Nathan have a dangerous mission. Someone's chasing them and they have to find out why to save Rose's father, the Pasha Star and themselves. I was intrigued by the mystery and loved Zarrenburg as a fabulous fictional kingdom. I was spellbound by this entertaining, captivating and charming first Steel Hawk story and really enjoyed reading it.

[Eve Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the non-stop action in this historical which blends suspense and romance very nicely together. Fabulous characters, great setting and intricate plot.

[Didi]

A dramatic, over the top historical romance with hopeful sleuthing thrown in. The story was all over the place and the characters overly expressive and easily provoked - often on the verge of inaneness - to react in the most WTH-are-you-doing I haven’t read in a while. The dynamics between Rose and Nathan were exhausting to follow; and individually they were not the brightest of characters (I’ve read). I guess I’m just not into those kind of childish wooing. I genuinely felt - were it given proper tweak overall - TO LOVE A THIEF could be a bang on read. Alas, it just served to annoy my eyes for a few days.. 😶