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The Saint’s Devils #1
The Devil's Thief
In Samantha Kane’s sensual tale of wicked passion, a desperate woman must resort to burglary—but the beautiful thief ends up stealing the heart of a rogue.
The daughter of a reformed jewel thief, Julianna Harte knows a thing or two about stealth. When the foundling home she provides for finds itself in dire financial straits, Julianna is forced to do the unthinkable. In a bit of misguided Robin Hood derring-do, she slips through the window of a wealthy rake to search for a treasure she knows is there: an invaluable pearl. But when the towering and very naked occupant of the moonlit bedroom ambushes her with a bargain—a night in his bed in exchange for the pearl—Julianna doesn’t know if it’s masculine heat or sheer desperation that makes his terms so tempting.
Alasdair Sharpe had no intention of keeping his end of the bargain. Planning to offer his little cat burglar carte blanche instead, he promptly loses himself in the delights of unexpected pleasure. But when he awakes the next morning to find his family heirloom gone, fury quickly replaces sensual languor. Of course, Alasdair is more than willing to use seduction to reclaim his stolen pearl—and find the key to Julianna’s heart.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: About Last Night, Blaze of Winter, and Lana’s Lawman.
The daughter of a reformed jewel thief, Julianna Harte knows a thing or two about stealth. When the foundling home she provides for finds itself in dire financial straits, Julianna is forced to do the unthinkable. In a bit of misguided Robin Hood derring-do, she slips through the window of a wealthy rake to search for a treasure she knows is there: an invaluable pearl. But when the towering and very naked occupant of the moonlit bedroom ambushes her with a bargain—a night in his bed in exchange for the pearl—Julianna doesn’t know if it’s masculine heat or sheer desperation that makes his terms so tempting.
Alasdair Sharpe had no intention of keeping his end of the bargain. Planning to offer his little cat burglar carte blanche instead, he promptly loses himself in the delights of unexpected pleasure. But when he awakes the next morning to find his family heirloom gone, fury quickly replaces sensual languor. Of course, Alasdair is more than willing to use seduction to reclaim his stolen pearl—and find the key to Julianna’s heart.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: About Last Night, Blaze of Winter, and Lana’s Lawman.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
58 people are currently reading
930 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Kane
54 books769 followersSamantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, two boys and one girl. With a master’s degree in American history, she spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full-time writer and mom.
Series:
THE BIRMINGHAM REBELS
BROTHERS IN ARMS
THE SAINT'S DEVILS
THE 93RD HIGHLANDERS
MERCURY RISING
Series:
THE BIRMINGHAM REBELS
BROTHERS IN ARMS
THE SAINT'S DEVILS
THE 93RD HIGHLANDERS
MERCURY RISING
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
November 14, 2015
The Devil’s Thief is the first book in Samantha Kane’s The Saint’s Devils series. It’s a fun, sexy, romantic story and, opening in a most unusual way, grabbed my attention from the start.
From the cover:Right off the bat Ms. Kane gives us everything we need to know about Julianna’s late night break-in into Alasdair’s bedroom, and I enjoyed that because it left plenty of page time to getting to know the actual people involved in the story.
The daughter of a reformed jewel thief, Julianna Harte knows a thing or two about stealth. When the foundling home she provides for finds itself in dire financial straits, Julianna is forced to do the unthinkable. In a bit of misguided Robin Hood derring-do, she slips through the window of a wealthy rake to search for a treasure she knows is there: an invaluable pearl. But when the towering and very naked occupant of the moonlit bedroom ambushes her with a bargain—a night in his bed in exchange for the pearl—Julianna doesn’t know if it’s masculine heat or sheer desperation that makes his terms so tempting.
Alasdair Sharpe had no intention of keeping his end of the bargain. Planning to offer his little cat burglar carte blanche instead, he promptly loses himself in the delights of unexpected pleasure. But when he awakes the next morning to find his family heirloom gone, fury quickly replaces sensual languor. Of course, Alasdair is more than willing to use seduction to reclaim his stolen pearl—and find the key to Julianna’s heart.
Alasdair and Julianna are our hero and heroine, and both are fun, intelligent, and romantic, and together, a very passionate couple. Julianna’s unconventional upbringing is really what sets the stage for this story, and allows for the introduction of some likewise unconventional characters. The other members of The Saint’s Devils, Roger Templeton, and Sir Hilary St. John, their group’s namesake, are both truly interesting people whose stories are sure to be just as exciting and deliciously sexy as Alasdair and Julianna’s is.
One of my favorite people in the book turned out to be a seventeen year old pimp-and-fencer-of-stolen-goods whose mother of his two children is in prison for murder. But don’t let Wiley’s seedy business dealings and association with thieves and killers fool you - he’s got ethics! I can only hope he’ll get a story of his own!
The bottom line: Engaging, entertaining, fast paced and very, very sexy, The Devil's Thief is a great start to this series. Roger Templeton's story is up next and, based on the excerpt at the back of this book, promises to be another great read!
My thanks to NovelSidekick and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2015
*ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley
My rating: 2.75/5 stars
First line:“The faint, metallic screech sounded as loud as thunder in the opressive silence of the dark bedroom.”
Favourite quote:“You are the very air I breathe, the blood in my veins. All that is right in my world. If you ever do something so bloody stupid again, I will turn you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you. ”
Song of choice: Caroline by Alex Clare
I don’t even know how to begin my review. My feelings towards this book are, in general, mixed and confusing. I guess I should start with how I found it.
One sunny day in August, Layla was having a lovely time browsing the Netgalley when a title caught her eye. The Devil’s Thief, sounds interesting doesn’t it? Having a weakness for thieves and, in special, for jewellry thieves Layla was very happy when she found out that this book had what she wanted. All was well. Then came the ARC and Layla rushed to read it. What she read disappointed her big time and now it is her time to write her honest review.
As told in the synopsis, the book begins when Julianna Harte is caught stealing Alasdair Sharp’s family treasure, the Stewart Pearl. The lovely rake (or rather, the naked one), discovering a thief in his bedroom, he does the predictable thing and threatens him with a gun. But alas, Julianna opens her mouth, speaks and all is lost. He realises that she’s a woman and after he copes a feel, he notices that she’s a lush woman with generous curves and smooth skin. Neurons rush out of the brain and he makes a deal with her: she would sleep with him and he would give her the pearl. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Julianna (did I mention that she was a virgin?) agrees. Over the night, Julianna can’t keep her mouth and starts talking about her.
What happens next in easy to predict: he enlists the help of his other rake friends, tracks Julianna down, then, of course, humiliates her. During sex, actually. I don’t want to detail any further what he does, just know that it’s very disrespectful and demeaning for a woman. Basically, he takes her as one would a paid woman. He even says something like this:
“I bought your body with my pearl. And I will expect you to make yourself available whenever I want you until I tire of you.”
Let me swoon at your romantic words, my lord.
Also, our lovely hero stalks, abuses, nearly rapes, accuses Julianna of being a whore. Amongst other things. Her response to all this? She’s always asking herself how he could ever love her when he despises her. And she forgives him everything, without even waiting for a proper grovel *facepalm*
The saving graces of this novel were the supporting characters: Roger, Hil and Wiley. And add in the hero’s sort-of-apology. If it weren’t for those this book would’ve had, for the first time, a one star rating. If she would’ve remained pregnant, it would’ve been certain. I don’t know if I’m going to read the next book, I’ll keep the series in mind, if I'm really desperate.
May 27, 2014
On a dark night, our hero, Alasdair Sharp, loses both his precious pearl and his heart...
This was a delightful and engaging read. Our heroine, Julianna Harte, is the daughter of a thief who recently married a baroness, making her part of the Beau Monde. She is intelligent, witty, and a fiery beauty who hides behind drab clothing to conceal her intentions from the rest of society - intentions to rob them. While attempting to steal the Stewart Pearl, she was caught and forced into a sensuous bargain with Alasdair, after which she left him dazed and under a spell.
The interactions between Alasdair and Julianna are very interesting, and full of passion. From secret trysts in the library to Alasdair's obsession with his beauty thief, all the dialogue and scenes were well done. I also liked that Julianna is someone who cares greatly for others, to donate her money to save other children.
The only problem I have with this novel is that Alasdair isn't the brightest bulb in the world. It leaves some frustration when he continually believes Julianna to be in love with his best friend when it's clear to anyone the true object of her affections. While this creates some amusing scenes, I must admit for want of a wittier hero.
All in love, I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely buy Samantha Kane's next book on Roger.
This was a delightful and engaging read. Our heroine, Julianna Harte, is the daughter of a thief who recently married a baroness, making her part of the Beau Monde. She is intelligent, witty, and a fiery beauty who hides behind drab clothing to conceal her intentions from the rest of society - intentions to rob them. While attempting to steal the Stewart Pearl, she was caught and forced into a sensuous bargain with Alasdair, after which she left him dazed and under a spell.
The interactions between Alasdair and Julianna are very interesting, and full of passion. From secret trysts in the library to Alasdair's obsession with his beauty thief, all the dialogue and scenes were well done. I also liked that Julianna is someone who cares greatly for others, to donate her money to save other children.
The only problem I have with this novel is that Alasdair isn't the brightest bulb in the world. It leaves some frustration when he continually believes Julianna to be in love with his best friend when it's clear to anyone the true object of her affections. While this creates some amusing scenes, I must admit for want of a wittier hero.
All in love, I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely buy Samantha Kane's next book on Roger.
February 8, 2019
3.5 stars. I shouldn't like this one as much as I did but the characters were fun and laugh out loud funny at times. There was a lot of questionable ridiculousness but if you can put that aside these two were great together. Yes, the story is ridiculous and I was pretty sick of that stupid pearl about halfway through so I glossed over that bit and the excruciating detail that went on forever describing a break-in.
April 18, 2022
3.5 stars
August 2, 2012
This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...
The Devil's Thief was, hands down, one of the best romances I've ever read. There is romance, suspense, surprises, anything you could ask for in a historical romance. And I just devoured it.
First of all, I really liked the idea. It's a new one, one I haven't seen before. A lady stealing from a handsome gentleman for the sake of her orphanage and getting caught? It already sounds like a winner.
My favorite part, however, was the characters. They were all brilliant.
Juilianna is not your average lady. She cares for the children in her orphanage and will do whatever it takes to take care of them. Even if it means stealing an invaluable pearl. However, she feels bad about stealing the pearl later, once she and Alasdair have fallen for each other. So, about halfway through, the story is focused on getting the pearl back. And Julianna is just as brave, if a little reckless, in getting it back as she was in stealing it. She was a lovely character. One that I could really like.
Alasdair was wonderful; I adored him. He places a lot of value in the pearl, a family heirloom from his mother's side. So when it gets stolen, he's understandably angry. But, right away, there was a blur in which he wanted more, the pearl or Julianna. When he started looking for his pearl, he was already more focused on Julianna than his heirloom. He was so sweet and protective of her, the perfect hero for the story. Their relationship was explosive. Right away, there are sparks flying and they don't let up. And it doesn't take long for him to see his real treasure. And on that cryptic note, I will move on to the other characters.
I loved every one of them. Roger, Wiley, Hil, even the Earl (Alasdair's cousin). Roger, Alasdair's friend, was hilarious. His comments made me laugh out loud-literally. Hil, another friend, was lovely in a different way. He was more staid and serious, but he doesn't hesitate to move into action when one of his friends need help. Wiley was amazing. He's the leader of a street gang and, at only seventeen, has two young boys in Julianna's orphanage. He helps her with the pearl business, from selling it, to retrieving it. He was totally awesome and hilarious at times. I even liked Julianna's father and step-mother. They were nice and had their shining moments. Every character was dynamic, even the antagonists.
The plot moved quickly. It starts immediately, with the first sentence and moves fast from there. The story kept me hooked from beginning to end.
The Devil's Thief is brilliant, one of my favorite romances to date.
5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!
The Devil's Thief was, hands down, one of the best romances I've ever read. There is romance, suspense, surprises, anything you could ask for in a historical romance. And I just devoured it.
First of all, I really liked the idea. It's a new one, one I haven't seen before. A lady stealing from a handsome gentleman for the sake of her orphanage and getting caught? It already sounds like a winner.
My favorite part, however, was the characters. They were all brilliant.
Juilianna is not your average lady. She cares for the children in her orphanage and will do whatever it takes to take care of them. Even if it means stealing an invaluable pearl. However, she feels bad about stealing the pearl later, once she and Alasdair have fallen for each other. So, about halfway through, the story is focused on getting the pearl back. And Julianna is just as brave, if a little reckless, in getting it back as she was in stealing it. She was a lovely character. One that I could really like.
Alasdair was wonderful; I adored him. He places a lot of value in the pearl, a family heirloom from his mother's side. So when it gets stolen, he's understandably angry. But, right away, there was a blur in which he wanted more, the pearl or Julianna. When he started looking for his pearl, he was already more focused on Julianna than his heirloom. He was so sweet and protective of her, the perfect hero for the story. Their relationship was explosive. Right away, there are sparks flying and they don't let up. And it doesn't take long for him to see his real treasure. And on that cryptic note, I will move on to the other characters.
I loved every one of them. Roger, Wiley, Hil, even the Earl (Alasdair's cousin). Roger, Alasdair's friend, was hilarious. His comments made me laugh out loud-literally. Hil, another friend, was lovely in a different way. He was more staid and serious, but he doesn't hesitate to move into action when one of his friends need help. Wiley was amazing. He's the leader of a street gang and, at only seventeen, has two young boys in Julianna's orphanage. He helps her with the pearl business, from selling it, to retrieving it. He was totally awesome and hilarious at times. I even liked Julianna's father and step-mother. They were nice and had their shining moments. Every character was dynamic, even the antagonists.
The plot moved quickly. It starts immediately, with the first sentence and moves fast from there. The story kept me hooked from beginning to end.
The Devil's Thief is brilliant, one of my favorite romances to date.
5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!
August 27, 2012
I saw this book up on netgalley and thought it looked interesting enough to go for. I've never read a book by Samantha Kane so I wasn't sure if I would like it or not but I'm happy to report that I did enjoy it!
The main characters are Julianna Harte and Alasdair Sharpe. Julianna is the daughter of a thief and she resorts to becoming a thief herself for the night by breaking into Sharpe's rooms so she could steal a famous pearl. The pearl is a part of Sharpe's legacy though and he is keenly aware of when someone enters his space. Sharpe confronts Julianna and offers her the pearl for one night with him. However he really has no intention of following through with that promise. At most he wants Julianna to hang around and become his mistress. Julianna on the other hand, is aware of who Alasdair is and has no problem sleeping with him for a night as she has always kind of liked him. When Sharpe awakes in the morning to find Julianna gone and his pearl missing he goes ballistic. He recruits his rake friends to help him find the thief but isn't sure if he wants the pearl more or her.
Julianna was a unique character to me, I feel like I haven't seen her in a hundred other books. She is a virgin in the beginning so she is definitely innocent in some ways and yet she is also knowledgeable because of her unique upbringing with her father. She knows that she needs money to help a house of orphans (which she runs) so she goes about her own ways of finding that money. Although, I do think there were easier ways for her to get that money but then there wouldn't have been a book!
Alasdair was a typical rake character. He did what he wanted, and he was a little stupid IMO. I actually didn't really like him that much. He also wasn't that suave. There were a few situations where he was so caught up in his own lust and infatuation with Julianna that he didn't realize she was protesting. It was on the edge of that precipice of is it consensual or not consensual? I also think he wasn't that careful with Julianna, considering she was a virgin, there were a lot of situations where it would have been an experienced couple trying "new things". And yet, she just had sex for the first time a few days before.. is she really going to want to do it on a desk in a strange person's house? Apparently, yes. It was just a tad unbelievable. Maybe if he had been more appealing to me I wouldn't care that they had crazy monkey sex everywhere, but I didn't really like him.
I did like Sir Hillary and am curious about his book. Roger just annoyed me, the drunken mess. I don't care about him hence I didn't read the excerpt in the back of the book. But once I find Sir Hillary's book, I'll be reading that one.
The main characters are Julianna Harte and Alasdair Sharpe. Julianna is the daughter of a thief and she resorts to becoming a thief herself for the night by breaking into Sharpe's rooms so she could steal a famous pearl. The pearl is a part of Sharpe's legacy though and he is keenly aware of when someone enters his space. Sharpe confronts Julianna and offers her the pearl for one night with him. However he really has no intention of following through with that promise. At most he wants Julianna to hang around and become his mistress. Julianna on the other hand, is aware of who Alasdair is and has no problem sleeping with him for a night as she has always kind of liked him. When Sharpe awakes in the morning to find Julianna gone and his pearl missing he goes ballistic. He recruits his rake friends to help him find the thief but isn't sure if he wants the pearl more or her.
Julianna was a unique character to me, I feel like I haven't seen her in a hundred other books. She is a virgin in the beginning so she is definitely innocent in some ways and yet she is also knowledgeable because of her unique upbringing with her father. She knows that she needs money to help a house of orphans (which she runs) so she goes about her own ways of finding that money. Although, I do think there were easier ways for her to get that money but then there wouldn't have been a book!
Alasdair was a typical rake character. He did what he wanted, and he was a little stupid IMO. I actually didn't really like him that much. He also wasn't that suave. There were a few situations where he was so caught up in his own lust and infatuation with Julianna that he didn't realize she was protesting. It was on the edge of that precipice of is it consensual or not consensual? I also think he wasn't that careful with Julianna, considering she was a virgin, there were a lot of situations where it would have been an experienced couple trying "new things". And yet, she just had sex for the first time a few days before.. is she really going to want to do it on a desk in a strange person's house? Apparently, yes. It was just a tad unbelievable. Maybe if he had been more appealing to me I wouldn't care that they had crazy monkey sex everywhere, but I didn't really like him.
I did like Sir Hillary and am curious about his book. Roger just annoyed me, the drunken mess. I don't care about him hence I didn't read the excerpt in the back of the book. But once I find Sir Hillary's book, I'll be reading that one.
Read
April 15, 2021DNF- I am over virgin heroines. I wanted to read this because we have an apparently "very jealous" hero (which is a fav of mine) but I didn't even get to that part because I was so distracted by the virgins betraying body. …..can we have some heroines with experience??? What makes virgins so special? lol!!
November 7, 2012
Julianna Harte needs money desperately for the foundling home she sponsors so, as the daughter of a reformed thief, she decides to steal her neighbors highly valuable, perfect pearl. What she does not expect it to get caught by the very naked owner! Alasdair Sharpe can't believe the cheek of this female, breaking into his bedroom to steal his pearl but he is instantly attracted to her and offers her a proposition...one night in his bed for the pearl. As Julianna has had a crush on Alasdair, she agrees and break out the fan because these two can burn up the sheets! However, when Alasdair awakes in the morning and finds both Julianna and his pearl gone he is furious and sets about finding out her identity and reclaiming what is his. What he does not expect is the blinding passion he feels for Julianna and how jealously turns him into a crazy man....surely it is just not passion that attracts him to this delicate, witty woman? Will Alasdair be able to move past Julianna's thievery and control his anger to accept the most wonderful treasure to drop in on him? Or will Julianna's desire to fix her wrongs cost them everything?
This was my first time reading anything by Samantha Kane and I thoroughly enjoyed it (even if a few plot points bugged me)! The major thing that was hard for me was Alasdair's jealously. He accuses Julianna of having another lover the day after their encounter, even though he was her first and he just can't let go of the idea she has another man in her life. And when he sees her crying on another man's shoulders, oh boy! His anger almost makes his do something regrettable but he, thankfully, comes to his senses in time. Beyond the insane jealousy, Alasdair was a sexy devil, living life to the fullest, with lots of laughter and passion who meets his match in Julianna. She keeps herself very plain looking but underneath the unremarkable exterior, she is full of passion and fire with intelligence, wit and charm. She has a kind heart and wants to help the children as best as she can but Alasdair makes her see her thievery is just temporary and she needs a more permanent solution. We are introduced to two other 'devil's' and they add some wonderful humor and friendship and I can't wait for their own stories as they seem to have secrets to share. . . There is a bit of action involving the man Julianna sells the pearl to that I enjoyed and I also enjoyed the little twists involving her foundling home. The chemistry between Julianna and Alasdair is instantaneous and explosive so be certain to have a cool drink handy! Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even with Alasdair's bossy jealously. It has action, smoking passion, sharp wit and a romance that blooms under an unusual circumstance. Samantha Kane has made a new fan out of me for her historical romances and I am anxiously awaiting the next story to see what she comes up with next time! 4 stars
eARC provided by Random House (Loveswept) via netgalley.com
This was my first time reading anything by Samantha Kane and I thoroughly enjoyed it (even if a few plot points bugged me)! The major thing that was hard for me was Alasdair's jealously. He accuses Julianna of having another lover the day after their encounter, even though he was her first and he just can't let go of the idea she has another man in her life. And when he sees her crying on another man's shoulders, oh boy! His anger almost makes his do something regrettable but he, thankfully, comes to his senses in time. Beyond the insane jealousy, Alasdair was a sexy devil, living life to the fullest, with lots of laughter and passion who meets his match in Julianna. She keeps herself very plain looking but underneath the unremarkable exterior, she is full of passion and fire with intelligence, wit and charm. She has a kind heart and wants to help the children as best as she can but Alasdair makes her see her thievery is just temporary and she needs a more permanent solution. We are introduced to two other 'devil's' and they add some wonderful humor and friendship and I can't wait for their own stories as they seem to have secrets to share. . . There is a bit of action involving the man Julianna sells the pearl to that I enjoyed and I also enjoyed the little twists involving her foundling home. The chemistry between Julianna and Alasdair is instantaneous and explosive so be certain to have a cool drink handy! Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even with Alasdair's bossy jealously. It has action, smoking passion, sharp wit and a romance that blooms under an unusual circumstance. Samantha Kane has made a new fan out of me for her historical romances and I am anxiously awaiting the next story to see what she comes up with next time! 4 stars
eARC provided by Random House (Loveswept) via netgalley.com
August 24, 2012
A fun, sizzling, rollicking good read.
London, 1817. Julianna Harte is the daughter of a reformed high-class thief and the founder of a home for abandoned children in London who is desperate to raise funds to stop her home closing – so desperate, in fact, that she resorts to robbery. She breaks into the home of her neighbour, Alasdair Sharpe, to steal his valuable pearl, but there she meets her match in the form of Alasdair – handsome, domineering and – oh my goodness – naked. He offers a proposition: one night with him in return for the pearl. Julianna agrees, but it is her instant attraction to the man that drives her. From there, the story twists and turns through high passion and high drama, as Julianna wrestles with her conscience over her immoral act, and both characters struggle with their feelings toward the other.
I loved the fast pace of this book, and the detailed plot which kept me turning pages (I read it in one sitting). There’s a lightness to the writing – a sense of fun and energy – that is compelling. The setting of London at the time is a great backdrop, and characters are likeable. My favourite is Wiley, a young street-wise man who takes a shine to Julianna and proves himself to be more of a man than many of his upper-class counterparts. I also liked Julianna, for her moral struggle and her courage.
What stands out most in the book, though, is the very passionate encounters between Julianna and Alasdair. From the outset, the writing is extremely steamy (and there is some strong language)! Here’s one of my favourite moments:
He broke the kiss. “Julianna,” he said desperately, pressing kisses along her cheekbone and then her hairline. “Juli.” His voice was ragged. “You are the very air I breathe, the blood in my veins. All that is right in my world. If you ever do something so bloody stupid again, I will turn you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you.”
Julianna burst into surprised laughter, but he could hear how shaky it was. “Promises, promises,” she whispered. “Perhaps you should teach me a lesson right now?”
Overall, I enjoyed the book and will be looking out for the next in the series.
London, 1817. Julianna Harte is the daughter of a reformed high-class thief and the founder of a home for abandoned children in London who is desperate to raise funds to stop her home closing – so desperate, in fact, that she resorts to robbery. She breaks into the home of her neighbour, Alasdair Sharpe, to steal his valuable pearl, but there she meets her match in the form of Alasdair – handsome, domineering and – oh my goodness – naked. He offers a proposition: one night with him in return for the pearl. Julianna agrees, but it is her instant attraction to the man that drives her. From there, the story twists and turns through high passion and high drama, as Julianna wrestles with her conscience over her immoral act, and both characters struggle with their feelings toward the other.
I loved the fast pace of this book, and the detailed plot which kept me turning pages (I read it in one sitting). There’s a lightness to the writing – a sense of fun and energy – that is compelling. The setting of London at the time is a great backdrop, and characters are likeable. My favourite is Wiley, a young street-wise man who takes a shine to Julianna and proves himself to be more of a man than many of his upper-class counterparts. I also liked Julianna, for her moral struggle and her courage.
What stands out most in the book, though, is the very passionate encounters between Julianna and Alasdair. From the outset, the writing is extremely steamy (and there is some strong language)! Here’s one of my favourite moments:
He broke the kiss. “Julianna,” he said desperately, pressing kisses along her cheekbone and then her hairline. “Juli.” His voice was ragged. “You are the very air I breathe, the blood in my veins. All that is right in my world. If you ever do something so bloody stupid again, I will turn you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you.”
Julianna burst into surprised laughter, but he could hear how shaky it was. “Promises, promises,” she whispered. “Perhaps you should teach me a lesson right now?”
Overall, I enjoyed the book and will be looking out for the next in the series.
November 28, 2012
I found The Devil's Thief to be a very cute, fun read. Julianna made a daring, desperate move in trying to steal Alasdair's family pearl. She winds up immersed in a night of heat and passion and then sneaks away, with the pearl. Julianna is a bumbling thief and feels guilty as soon as she thinks her actions through. She is determined to right things with Alasdair, but making things right proves to be more dangerous than she bargained for.
From the beginning, Alasdair and Julianna have a sizzling connection that strengthens as the book goes on. Alasdair has 2 friends who "help" him find Julianna and get his pearl back, and their camaraderie was fun to read as well as intriguing. Julianna was a cute character, she was fairly naive, but that was expected of a young lady trying to be a thief. Alasdair let his anger fog his head when it came to Julianna and he was slow to come to terms with what was truly important to him. Their relationship is full of passion and frustration and they kept me wondering what would happen next.
The best part about The Devil's Thief was the secondary characters. From Julianna's father (the former thief), to Wiley, the street-smart boy who gets drawn into the debacle, and to Alasdair's friends, The Devils, who have their own personality quirks and faults, the secondary characters provided depth, background, and fun to the story. There was not one moment where I was bored, every moment had me fully immersed in the story. There are funny, light-hearted moments and moments of passion and heat. The Devil's Thief is a well-rounded, highly enjoyable novel that historical romance fans will not want to miss. As I loved the secondary characters, I am looking forward to future books in the series. I can't wait to see what troubles The Devils get into next, especially the intuitive Sir Hilary.
*I received this book in exchange for and honest review*
From the beginning, Alasdair and Julianna have a sizzling connection that strengthens as the book goes on. Alasdair has 2 friends who "help" him find Julianna and get his pearl back, and their camaraderie was fun to read as well as intriguing. Julianna was a cute character, she was fairly naive, but that was expected of a young lady trying to be a thief. Alasdair let his anger fog his head when it came to Julianna and he was slow to come to terms with what was truly important to him. Their relationship is full of passion and frustration and they kept me wondering what would happen next.
The best part about The Devil's Thief was the secondary characters. From Julianna's father (the former thief), to Wiley, the street-smart boy who gets drawn into the debacle, and to Alasdair's friends, The Devils, who have their own personality quirks and faults, the secondary characters provided depth, background, and fun to the story. There was not one moment where I was bored, every moment had me fully immersed in the story. There are funny, light-hearted moments and moments of passion and heat. The Devil's Thief is a well-rounded, highly enjoyable novel that historical romance fans will not want to miss. As I loved the secondary characters, I am looking forward to future books in the series. I can't wait to see what troubles The Devils get into next, especially the intuitive Sir Hilary.
*I received this book in exchange for and honest review*
October 2, 2012
There were so many great aspects to this book. Julianna and Alasdair have a very backwards courtship that leads to constant apologies and frequent compromising positions. They are absolutely perfect for each other. They just don’t seem to realize it. Alasdair makes a complete ass of himself on several occasions in his attempt to reacquire that which was not exactly stolen from him. Julianna also has some misplaced notions of why she has stolen the pearl. Alasdair and Julianna figuring out what the other is up to, while trying to hide what they are actually doing from the other makes this such an entertaining read.
Alasdair incorporates the assistance from his friends and fellow devils, Hil and Roger for locating the missing pearl. I loved his friends, especially Hil. They are witty and they know Alasdair in a manner that allows them to openly challenge some of his convoluted notions as to what is going on with the priceless treasure that he seeks to obtain.
I recommend this book anyone who enjoys historical romances and loves a good steamy romance to go along with it. I can promise you that the secondary characters will have you desperately wanting the next book in the series. Sam gives her readers the most interesting little pieces of their personalities.
I have a couple of favorite quotes. One is Alasdair’s explanation of what became of the pearl to his friends Hil and Roger. “The short version is, I caught a thief in my bedroom, she turned out to be a very intriguing woman, I relieved her of her virginity, and this morning I awoke to discover she had relieved me of the Stewart Pearl.”
I loved this one too, Alasdair to Julianna. “I was a fool, and now I am double the fool, because I will make any excuse to see you, touch you, hold you.”
Alasdair incorporates the assistance from his friends and fellow devils, Hil and Roger for locating the missing pearl. I loved his friends, especially Hil. They are witty and they know Alasdair in a manner that allows them to openly challenge some of his convoluted notions as to what is going on with the priceless treasure that he seeks to obtain.
I recommend this book anyone who enjoys historical romances and loves a good steamy romance to go along with it. I can promise you that the secondary characters will have you desperately wanting the next book in the series. Sam gives her readers the most interesting little pieces of their personalities.
I have a couple of favorite quotes. One is Alasdair’s explanation of what became of the pearl to his friends Hil and Roger. “The short version is, I caught a thief in my bedroom, she turned out to be a very intriguing woman, I relieved her of her virginity, and this morning I awoke to discover she had relieved me of the Stewart Pearl.”
I loved this one too, Alasdair to Julianna. “I was a fool, and now I am double the fool, because I will make any excuse to see you, touch you, hold you.”
August 10, 2012
This was an ARC review.
Here is the review on My Blog
This was a wonderful historical romance that had me hooked instantly. Julianna did something she was quite familiar with but very bad at. However, it worked to her advantage. She was put in the arms of the man that she was after, and it left them with an unresolved issue.
Their chemistry is instant, and you can feel it. Although they know they have chemistry they seem to be blind to the fact there is more to their relationship than just the thing that stands unresolved between them. They take us through the lives of the upper class and lower class in order to resolve their conflict while trying to prove to the other that their love is genuine.
It’s a wonderful story that took a few hours to read, and I devoured it. I enjoyed every one of Samantha Kane’s words.
Her historical writing was spot on and kept me very interested. I loved the way the characters spoke.
The two main characters were strong and very likable, but she worked in some extremely likable secondary characters and I felt connected with them instantly.
Alasdair and Julianna were amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed Juliana’s strength and fearlessness. She befriended a kid from the street and had me liking him so much.
Alasdair was a womanizer, but the way he was knocked over by Julianna had us rooting for him to win her over. His friends were all very funny and supportive and I enjoyed watching them all interact.
There was not a boring moment in the story.
The ending was perfect and almost predictable, but still perfect!
I highly recommend this book for a quick and wonderful read.
Here is the review on My Blog
This was a wonderful historical romance that had me hooked instantly. Julianna did something she was quite familiar with but very bad at. However, it worked to her advantage. She was put in the arms of the man that she was after, and it left them with an unresolved issue.
Their chemistry is instant, and you can feel it. Although they know they have chemistry they seem to be blind to the fact there is more to their relationship than just the thing that stands unresolved between them. They take us through the lives of the upper class and lower class in order to resolve their conflict while trying to prove to the other that their love is genuine.
It’s a wonderful story that took a few hours to read, and I devoured it. I enjoyed every one of Samantha Kane’s words.
Her historical writing was spot on and kept me very interested. I loved the way the characters spoke.
The two main characters were strong and very likable, but she worked in some extremely likable secondary characters and I felt connected with them instantly.
Alasdair and Julianna were amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed Juliana’s strength and fearlessness. She befriended a kid from the street and had me liking him so much.
Alasdair was a womanizer, but the way he was knocked over by Julianna had us rooting for him to win her over. His friends were all very funny and supportive and I enjoyed watching them all interact.
There was not a boring moment in the story.
The ending was perfect and almost predictable, but still perfect!
I highly recommend this book for a quick and wonderful read.
December 2, 2012
In this regency romance, our leading lady, Julianna is desperate enough to steal a valuable family heirloom, a rare pearl, from one of London's biggest rakes in order to feed the children in an orphanage she secretly runs. She steals into Alasdair's bedroom in the night, gets caught, has a gun pointed at her, cuts a deal with the 'gentleman'...Okay, fade to black here...;) and slips away before dawn.
What follows is a game of cat and mouse, with the tension between Julianna and Alasdair at a boiling point throughout the story.
The characters were brilliant, colorful and often humorous, especially devilishly rakish Roger, one of Alasdair's best friends! The descriptions of the streets of London were beautiful, alive, the plot, well done with just enough spice!
This edition was provided by Netgalley and Random House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
What follows is a game of cat and mouse, with the tension between Julianna and Alasdair at a boiling point throughout the story.
The characters were brilliant, colorful and often humorous, especially devilishly rakish Roger, one of Alasdair's best friends! The descriptions of the streets of London were beautiful, alive, the plot, well done with just enough spice!
This edition was provided by Netgalley and Random House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2020
A 1.5 to be honest. I did not enjoy the leads, they had no chemistry and far too much insta love. I got sick of hearing about that damn pearl pretty quick as well. Really the only thing I enjoyed were some of the secondary characters (I am looking at you Wiley) and there were a few funny moments.
I also read this right after finishing Sense and Sensibility so the (lack of) historical accuracy and complete disregard for social etiquette was annoying. Propriety seemed to flit in and out based on when it suited that characters and no one seemed to care.
It is not a terrible book by any means but just really not for me. It is really hard to get into a romance novel when you don't like the leads and don't buy the romance...
I also read this right after finishing Sense and Sensibility so the (lack of) historical accuracy and complete disregard for social etiquette was annoying. Propriety seemed to flit in and out based on when it suited that characters and no one seemed to care.
It is not a terrible book by any means but just really not for me. It is really hard to get into a romance novel when you don't like the leads and don't buy the romance...
April 13, 2018
Well this was a really fun book. Fabulous writing and an interesting story and kept me reading to the end. No picking up and putting down this story! Lots of steamy scenes that were really nicely done. I loved the fun and snappy dialogue and the H/h - only now and then did it seem a teensy bit modern.
I thought this author did a great job with the English historical details. Except for a couple of American terms :- calling trousers 'pants'; footpath ' sidewalk'; etc. Also the H/h were buying apples & oranges at street stalls in June in 1817 England, which I think was not probable. Also not sure about the 'box' used for carrying pastries. (Small details only curious people like me notice and wonder about - LOL). Says a lot about the quality of a book that I have to find tiny things like this to mention, as I really loved it.
I adored the hero's two friends as well, there were lots of humorous scenes involving them, so I'm looking forward to reading their books. The ending turned into a bit of a farcical romp and I'm not sure I really believed it, but it was good fun all the same and entertaining to read. I recommend this book and author. 4.5 stars!
I thought this author did a great job with the English historical details. Except for a couple of American terms :- calling trousers 'pants'; footpath ' sidewalk'; etc. Also the H/h were buying apples & oranges at street stalls in June in 1817 England, which I think was not probable. Also not sure about the 'box' used for carrying pastries. (Small details only curious people like me notice and wonder about - LOL). Says a lot about the quality of a book that I have to find tiny things like this to mention, as I really loved it.
I adored the hero's two friends as well, there were lots of humorous scenes involving them, so I'm looking forward to reading their books. The ending turned into a bit of a farcical romp and I'm not sure I really believed it, but it was good fun all the same and entertaining to read. I recommend this book and author. 4.5 stars!
March 20, 2021
2.75 / 3 Stars
It wasn't a bad story, but I don't care for such a naive heroine. That's what brought the story down for me
It wasn't a bad story, but I don't care for such a naive heroine. That's what brought the story down for me
October 27, 2012
Notes: Read the eARC via Net Galley
My synopsis:
"Unless you care to be shot this evening, I wouldn't move from where you're standing." The deep voice was quiet but firm and it came from the shadows of the big bed...
"...tell me what you found so irresistible in my bedroom in the middle of the night."
"Let me assure you that it was the Stewart Pearl I found irresistible," she retorted, "and nothing else."...
"You're a Woman," Mr. Sharp exclaimed in shock...
"I'll give you the pearl, my dear."..."For one night in my bed. Tonight."
Julianna's heart was in the right place, but the rest of her? Well, not so much. Let's just say she's a little misguided. Determined to keep the foundling home she'd established for children running, she desperately sought out a way to pay the rent and had concocted a plan to steal the Stewart Pearl so she could hock it for the proceeds. In Julianne's case, the apple truly didn't fall far from the tree. Her father was a reformed thief and newly married. That is when all the problems had begun. Her stepmother hadn't approved of her foundling home and so her father had cut off his funding of it. Now here she was with a choice to make--was the home worth the price Mr. Alasdair Sharp was asking?
My Thoughts:
Have you ever read a book where the heroine keeps doing things that make you want to shout out, "No, don't do it."? lol This is such a book. Julianna is a fun character who doesn't think things through, or perhaps doesn't comprehend the consequences before she acts. I was constantly shifting between giggling and shaking my head at her. Perhaps that is partly what makes Mr. Sharp fall in love with her. She needed someone to keep her out of trouble. At one point he actually says, "If you ever do something so bloody stupid again, I will turn you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you.'
Truth be told, I didn't really care for Alasdair at the beginning. He was basically a jerk after their initial one night stand. He got upset and embarrassed because he'd been bested by Julianne and probably because of his own stupidity, for he never truly intended to give her his pearl, he'd decided instead to make her his mistress. I guess his mama didn't teach him to mean what you say and say what you mean.
When he wakes up the following morning to find both her and his pearl missing, well, to put it mildly, he goes a little crazy and asks his friend to help find her. Once found, he takes his anger and frustration out on her and Julianna doesn't seem to even notice just how awful he's being. He basically demands she either give him back the pearl or grant him sexual favors whenever he wishes as comeuppance. While she reminds him that was not their official deal, Alasdair is simply not satisfied and starts to stalk her in an attempt to get the pearl back. The thing that redeemed this hero in my eyes is that at some point he takes a good look at himself, realizes he doesn't like what he sees or how he's been acting towards Julianna and does an about face. Some however, I fear, are not going to get past his initial bad behavior.
Why is the book called The Devil's Thief and the series called The Saint's Devils? Well, it "was a silly nickname their (Alasdair and Hil's) group of friends had earned years ago in school, based on Hil's surname." Hil being Sir Hilary St. John, one of the friends Alasdair recruits to help him find Julianne. Hil is a very well connected person who is very good at finding things out. Since Alasdair was considered one of the Saint's Devils it goes without saying that Julianna would be The Devil's (Alasdair's) Thief.
Overall, I gave this one 3 out of 5 roses. I liked the camaraderie of Alasdair's friends and found each of them intriguing. My favorite secondary character, however, was Wiley, a street wise 17 year old who already has 4 children by 3 different woman and takes his family responsibilities very seriously. Hil takes him under his wing, and I hope we see more of the delightful character as the series progresses. Likewise, I'd love to see more of Hil. He seemed the most level headed and interesting of the friends.
Besides the characters, I loved the writing and look forward to reading the sequels. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. A couple of scenes, however, where Alasdair treated Julianna poorly do not fall into the STEAM category.
My synopsis:
"Unless you care to be shot this evening, I wouldn't move from where you're standing." The deep voice was quiet but firm and it came from the shadows of the big bed...
"...tell me what you found so irresistible in my bedroom in the middle of the night."
"Let me assure you that it was the Stewart Pearl I found irresistible," she retorted, "and nothing else."...
"You're a Woman," Mr. Sharp exclaimed in shock...
"I'll give you the pearl, my dear."..."For one night in my bed. Tonight."
Julianna's heart was in the right place, but the rest of her? Well, not so much. Let's just say she's a little misguided. Determined to keep the foundling home she'd established for children running, she desperately sought out a way to pay the rent and had concocted a plan to steal the Stewart Pearl so she could hock it for the proceeds. In Julianne's case, the apple truly didn't fall far from the tree. Her father was a reformed thief and newly married. That is when all the problems had begun. Her stepmother hadn't approved of her foundling home and so her father had cut off his funding of it. Now here she was with a choice to make--was the home worth the price Mr. Alasdair Sharp was asking?
My Thoughts:
Have you ever read a book where the heroine keeps doing things that make you want to shout out, "No, don't do it."? lol This is such a book. Julianna is a fun character who doesn't think things through, or perhaps doesn't comprehend the consequences before she acts. I was constantly shifting between giggling and shaking my head at her. Perhaps that is partly what makes Mr. Sharp fall in love with her. She needed someone to keep her out of trouble. At one point he actually says, "If you ever do something so bloody stupid again, I will turn you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you.'
Truth be told, I didn't really care for Alasdair at the beginning. He was basically a jerk after their initial one night stand. He got upset and embarrassed because he'd been bested by Julianne and probably because of his own stupidity, for he never truly intended to give her his pearl, he'd decided instead to make her his mistress. I guess his mama didn't teach him to mean what you say and say what you mean.
When he wakes up the following morning to find both her and his pearl missing, well, to put it mildly, he goes a little crazy and asks his friend to help find her. Once found, he takes his anger and frustration out on her and Julianna doesn't seem to even notice just how awful he's being. He basically demands she either give him back the pearl or grant him sexual favors whenever he wishes as comeuppance. While she reminds him that was not their official deal, Alasdair is simply not satisfied and starts to stalk her in an attempt to get the pearl back. The thing that redeemed this hero in my eyes is that at some point he takes a good look at himself, realizes he doesn't like what he sees or how he's been acting towards Julianna and does an about face. Some however, I fear, are not going to get past his initial bad behavior.
Why is the book called The Devil's Thief and the series called The Saint's Devils? Well, it "was a silly nickname their (Alasdair and Hil's) group of friends had earned years ago in school, based on Hil's surname." Hil being Sir Hilary St. John, one of the friends Alasdair recruits to help him find Julianne. Hil is a very well connected person who is very good at finding things out. Since Alasdair was considered one of the Saint's Devils it goes without saying that Julianna would be The Devil's (Alasdair's) Thief.
Overall, I gave this one 3 out of 5 roses. I liked the camaraderie of Alasdair's friends and found each of them intriguing. My favorite secondary character, however, was Wiley, a street wise 17 year old who already has 4 children by 3 different woman and takes his family responsibilities very seriously. Hil takes him under his wing, and I hope we see more of the delightful character as the series progresses. Likewise, I'd love to see more of Hil. He seemed the most level headed and interesting of the friends.
Besides the characters, I loved the writing and look forward to reading the sequels. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. A couple of scenes, however, where Alasdair treated Julianna poorly do not fall into the STEAM category.
November 12, 2012
Alasdair and Julianna
3.5 stars
Full review on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
When Alasdair Sharpe wakes up with a thief in his bedroom the first thing he does is reach for his gun. The second thing he does is proposition the thief? Well, yes because the thief is a woman and he is very intrigued.
Julianna Harte is desperate. She needs money to pay the rent on the foundling house she is responsible for. She cannot go to her father because she doesn’t want it to seem like she can’t handle the small amount of responsibility she has been given. She comes up with a crazy plan to steal a family heirloom from Alasdair. While she is in the middle of stealing it Alasdair wakes up and gives her a proposal of his own. Spend the night with him, how he wants to spend it, and he will let her leave with the pearl. Julianna has spent her whole life being overlooked so she takes this one chance at pleasure, at excitement. She says yes.
Alasdair has no intention of letting her leave with the pearl. He has been entrusted with keeping it safe against many objections from his family. He is a bit of a free spirit and nobody believes he can keep the thing safe. He aims to prove them wrong. Of course, when he wakes the next morning, after a spirited night with Julianna, he finds she is gone and has taken the pearl with her.
Damn his lustful, careless, useless soul. As if his cock alone would make a thieving harlot forget about her prize. What a colossal, vain idiot he was.
Alasdair turns to some close friends to find Julianna. They are part of a group known as The Saint’s Devils. Hil and Roger will help him find out who Julianna is and help him get the pearl back all before anyone might know it is gone.
So I found myself torn with this book. The plot is beyond silly. Julianna steals the pearl, Alasdair finds out who she is and then chases after her to get the pearl back. While that doesn’t sound silly all of the things that happen in between are silly. Julianna was a virgin when she was with Alasdair so it was a bit of shock when the next day she tells him she took the pearl to her new lover, and he believes her. He gets angry and lashes out. Um, she was a virgin the night before. Why would he think she moved on that quickly?
The writing in this book is extremely clever and fun. The banter between Alasdair, Roger and Hil make the whole book. The three of them are way too funny. Add in Wiley, another character who helps Julianna and you have several very interesting men. I found myself looking forward to the interaction between them more than the romance of the book. And for a romance book that isn’t necessarily a good thing.
The romance, or should I call is sexmance, between Alasdair and Julianna was hot. Ms. Kane has a firm handle on how to write a sex scene. Emotionally the two seemed a bit desperate for each other and I wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe it had to do with the steamy sex?
There is one sex scene in the book that made me laugh. When the couple meets up again at a society party they move to another room to have a ‘discussion’. The discussion turns into sex on a desk which normally wouldn’t make me think twice. However, they switch positions halfway through and have sex doggie-style on the desk. Um, ok. On a desk? That had to hurt the knees not to mention the danger of falling off!
So yes, this book is good. I did like it with the exception of a few head scratching moments. I like Ms. Kane’s voice. She has a fresh writing style that I think everyone would like. Final grade- B-
Favorite Quote:
“You may call me Miss Harte,” her voice trembling with anger.
“I just fucked you like an animal on a desk, Miss Harte,” he said. “I believe we are beyond social pleasantries.”
3.5 stars
Full review on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
When Alasdair Sharpe wakes up with a thief in his bedroom the first thing he does is reach for his gun. The second thing he does is proposition the thief? Well, yes because the thief is a woman and he is very intrigued.
Julianna Harte is desperate. She needs money to pay the rent on the foundling house she is responsible for. She cannot go to her father because she doesn’t want it to seem like she can’t handle the small amount of responsibility she has been given. She comes up with a crazy plan to steal a family heirloom from Alasdair. While she is in the middle of stealing it Alasdair wakes up and gives her a proposal of his own. Spend the night with him, how he wants to spend it, and he will let her leave with the pearl. Julianna has spent her whole life being overlooked so she takes this one chance at pleasure, at excitement. She says yes.
Alasdair has no intention of letting her leave with the pearl. He has been entrusted with keeping it safe against many objections from his family. He is a bit of a free spirit and nobody believes he can keep the thing safe. He aims to prove them wrong. Of course, when he wakes the next morning, after a spirited night with Julianna, he finds she is gone and has taken the pearl with her.
Damn his lustful, careless, useless soul. As if his cock alone would make a thieving harlot forget about her prize. What a colossal, vain idiot he was.
Alasdair turns to some close friends to find Julianna. They are part of a group known as The Saint’s Devils. Hil and Roger will help him find out who Julianna is and help him get the pearl back all before anyone might know it is gone.
So I found myself torn with this book. The plot is beyond silly. Julianna steals the pearl, Alasdair finds out who she is and then chases after her to get the pearl back. While that doesn’t sound silly all of the things that happen in between are silly. Julianna was a virgin when she was with Alasdair so it was a bit of shock when the next day she tells him she took the pearl to her new lover, and he believes her. He gets angry and lashes out. Um, she was a virgin the night before. Why would he think she moved on that quickly?
The writing in this book is extremely clever and fun. The banter between Alasdair, Roger and Hil make the whole book. The three of them are way too funny. Add in Wiley, another character who helps Julianna and you have several very interesting men. I found myself looking forward to the interaction between them more than the romance of the book. And for a romance book that isn’t necessarily a good thing.
The romance, or should I call is sexmance, between Alasdair and Julianna was hot. Ms. Kane has a firm handle on how to write a sex scene. Emotionally the two seemed a bit desperate for each other and I wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe it had to do with the steamy sex?
There is one sex scene in the book that made me laugh. When the couple meets up again at a society party they move to another room to have a ‘discussion’. The discussion turns into sex on a desk which normally wouldn’t make me think twice. However, they switch positions halfway through and have sex doggie-style on the desk. Um, ok. On a desk? That had to hurt the knees not to mention the danger of falling off!
So yes, this book is good. I did like it with the exception of a few head scratching moments. I like Ms. Kane’s voice. She has a fresh writing style that I think everyone would like. Final grade- B-
Favorite Quote:
“You may call me Miss Harte,” her voice trembling with anger.
“I just fucked you like an animal on a desk, Miss Harte,” he said. “I believe we are beyond social pleasantries.”
November 4, 2012
May have slight spoilers.
In author Samantha Kane’s new novel The Devil's Thief we meet Lady Julianna Harte. Julianna is the provider of a foundling home and behind on the rent. In the hopes of gaining the back-owed rent money she decides to take up the past family business and steal her wealthy neighbor’s family heirloom: the renowned Stewart Pearl.
When she is caught pretty much red-handed by the owner of said pearl, Alasdair Sharpe, she does not know what to do, and not just because he is naked and holding a gun. She is surprised when he offers her a deal, one that allows her to keep the pearl.
One night in his bed and the pearl is hers.
Alasdair never had any intention of keeping his deal with the little thief that came to lift him of the Stewart Pearl. He did however intend to have her and then provide for her from there on after. When he finds she is, or was, a virgin he is horrified and angry as he thought her a street woman. Then more than ever he was determined to care and provide for her. Too bad Julianna did not know that.
After a night of passion that leaves a mark on them both, like the she came to be, Julianna disappears into the night—with the Stewart Pearl.
When he wake the next morning Alasdair is angry and embarrassed that it was ‘stolen’. For help he goes to his friend Sir Hilary St. John for help in tracking her down and their fiend, and fellow 'Devil', Roger Templeton joins the hunt.
This is the start of a very interesting and at times amusing historical romance novel. Kane blends romance and amusement well together giving us something sexy but also a book that hand me laughing at the characters antics as well.
Julianna does sell the pearl but then feels horrible about it as her feelings for Alasdair grow and she fears he will never love her unless she gives it back for him. Unfortunately the horrid man she sold it to will not sell it back to her for the price she was given for it. Instead he wants double that and Julianna just does not have that kind of money; which was what landed her in the predicament to begin with.
So she decides to seal the pearl back from the very dangerous man she sold it to. Need I even say that she is a terrible thief? Or was that obvious when she was caught the first time? I think the worst part is that Julianna thinks she is a great thief!
I liked Julianna and Alasdair they made a great couple and you could pretty much see that Alasdair was infatuated with her and half-way in love from the start even if he does not realize it. While there is sex in this book a lot of the scenes do fade-to-black but there are some pretty hot sex scenes (one that comes to mind in particular involving a desk...* shivers*) in it that does not fade-to-black.
At times erotic while at others funny I have to say that The Devil's Thief is a wonderfully quick read that I would recommend to anyone who likes historical romance.
I am looking forward to the rest of the ‘Devils’ novels. We cannot forget about Alasdair’s two friends after all and I am thrilled that they are going to get books. Well, I know for a fact one of them is getting a book, Roger Templeton. Described as looking like a Greek god, his book Tempting a Devil is slated for release on July 8th 2013. Personally I thought Roger was the most amusing of the group and the biggest rouge so I cannot wait to see who catches his heart!
However, Sir Hilary St. John was an enigma and I do love mysterious men!
*I received a hardcover/paperback/eBook copy/ARC of this book for free to review from the author/publisher/tour site; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.
In author Samantha Kane’s new novel The Devil's Thief we meet Lady Julianna Harte. Julianna is the provider of a foundling home and behind on the rent. In the hopes of gaining the back-owed rent money she decides to take up the past family business and steal her wealthy neighbor’s family heirloom: the renowned Stewart Pearl.
When she is caught pretty much red-handed by the owner of said pearl, Alasdair Sharpe, she does not know what to do, and not just because he is naked and holding a gun. She is surprised when he offers her a deal, one that allows her to keep the pearl.
One night in his bed and the pearl is hers.
Alasdair never had any intention of keeping his deal with the little thief that came to lift him of the Stewart Pearl. He did however intend to have her and then provide for her from there on after. When he finds she is, or was, a virgin he is horrified and angry as he thought her a street woman. Then more than ever he was determined to care and provide for her. Too bad Julianna did not know that.
After a night of passion that leaves a mark on them both, like the she came to be, Julianna disappears into the night—with the Stewart Pearl.
When he wake the next morning Alasdair is angry and embarrassed that it was ‘stolen’. For help he goes to his friend Sir Hilary St. John for help in tracking her down and their fiend, and fellow 'Devil', Roger Templeton joins the hunt.
This is the start of a very interesting and at times amusing historical romance novel. Kane blends romance and amusement well together giving us something sexy but also a book that hand me laughing at the characters antics as well.
Julianna does sell the pearl but then feels horrible about it as her feelings for Alasdair grow and she fears he will never love her unless she gives it back for him. Unfortunately the horrid man she sold it to will not sell it back to her for the price she was given for it. Instead he wants double that and Julianna just does not have that kind of money; which was what landed her in the predicament to begin with.
So she decides to seal the pearl back from the very dangerous man she sold it to. Need I even say that she is a terrible thief? Or was that obvious when she was caught the first time? I think the worst part is that Julianna thinks she is a great thief!
I liked Julianna and Alasdair they made a great couple and you could pretty much see that Alasdair was infatuated with her and half-way in love from the start even if he does not realize it. While there is sex in this book a lot of the scenes do fade-to-black but there are some pretty hot sex scenes (one that comes to mind in particular involving a desk...* shivers*) in it that does not fade-to-black.
At times erotic while at others funny I have to say that The Devil's Thief is a wonderfully quick read that I would recommend to anyone who likes historical romance.
I am looking forward to the rest of the ‘Devils’ novels. We cannot forget about Alasdair’s two friends after all and I am thrilled that they are going to get books. Well, I know for a fact one of them is getting a book, Roger Templeton. Described as looking like a Greek god, his book Tempting a Devil is slated for release on July 8th 2013. Personally I thought Roger was the most amusing of the group and the biggest rouge so I cannot wait to see who catches his heart!
However, Sir Hilary St. John was an enigma and I do love mysterious men!
*I received a hardcover/paperback/eBook copy/ARC of this book for free to review from the author/publisher/tour site; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.
November 7, 2012
Originally published at Reading Reality
Midnight burglars either have to be very, very good, or very, very lucky. Julianna turns out to be a little bit of both, and neither.
She also seems to have forgotten that some, maybe most, of her father's skill rested on his ability to charm the petticoats off a number of his marks. Julianna gets off easy in one aspect of her first foray into the family business--her first mark isn't wearing anything at all.
The Devil's Thief is a romance, and a comedy for the most part, of misunderstandings. That's what makes it so much fun.
While Julianna steals the pearl in order to pay the rent on the foundling home she supports, her reasons for not asking her father and step-mother for assistance turn out to be a misunderstanding.
But then, so does her father's misunderstanding of his new wife's issues with the foundling home itself, which are the reasons he is less supportive than he used to be.
Alasdair thinks Julianna needs the rent for herself. When he finds out she is his neighbor, he is mortified to realize that they have met, and that he totally overlooked her. That she dressed and acted in a manner designed to cause that very reaction makes him feel even more deceived.
Her determination to remain independent, and his to protect, keep them dancing around their feelings for each other until the very end. Almost to the very bitter end.
These two lovers require the help of all their friends, and even some of their enemies, to figure out if they can find a future together-one without too many misunderstandings.
Escape Rating B-: I read this all in a single froth-whipped gulp. It's fun. The plot runs from one charming misunderstand-dammit to the next, but it's meant to. The reader, and all the side-characters, are too busy watching in amused horror as these two lovers careen past each other in increasingly insane attempts to steal back the original pearl without putting the other in danger, and all in vain. Meanwhile discovering that both their original reasons for this mess might have been unnecessary, except as a means to get their lives on the track they should have been in the first place.
The most interesting character in this story might be Wiley, the gang-leader who helps Julianna. I can't wait to see what he turns into.
We get some very teasing hints that every single one of these men is a "gentleman" in name only. And that all of them have something that they are either trying to forget, or otherwise are looking to replace something in their past that they lost.
They're all very bad boys, but they seem to be bad for a reason. I can't help wondering what those reasons are. Hopefully, we'll find out in the rest of the series.
Midnight burglars either have to be very, very good, or very, very lucky. Julianna turns out to be a little bit of both, and neither.
She also seems to have forgotten that some, maybe most, of her father's skill rested on his ability to charm the petticoats off a number of his marks. Julianna gets off easy in one aspect of her first foray into the family business--her first mark isn't wearing anything at all.
The Devil's Thief is a romance, and a comedy for the most part, of misunderstandings. That's what makes it so much fun.
While Julianna steals the pearl in order to pay the rent on the foundling home she supports, her reasons for not asking her father and step-mother for assistance turn out to be a misunderstanding.
But then, so does her father's misunderstanding of his new wife's issues with the foundling home itself, which are the reasons he is less supportive than he used to be.
Alasdair thinks Julianna needs the rent for herself. When he finds out she is his neighbor, he is mortified to realize that they have met, and that he totally overlooked her. That she dressed and acted in a manner designed to cause that very reaction makes him feel even more deceived.
Her determination to remain independent, and his to protect, keep them dancing around their feelings for each other until the very end. Almost to the very bitter end.
These two lovers require the help of all their friends, and even some of their enemies, to figure out if they can find a future together-one without too many misunderstandings.
Escape Rating B-: I read this all in a single froth-whipped gulp. It's fun. The plot runs from one charming misunderstand-dammit to the next, but it's meant to. The reader, and all the side-characters, are too busy watching in amused horror as these two lovers careen past each other in increasingly insane attempts to steal back the original pearl without putting the other in danger, and all in vain. Meanwhile discovering that both their original reasons for this mess might have been unnecessary, except as a means to get their lives on the track they should have been in the first place.
The most interesting character in this story might be Wiley, the gang-leader who helps Julianna. I can't wait to see what he turns into.
We get some very teasing hints that every single one of these men is a "gentleman" in name only. And that all of them have something that they are either trying to forget, or otherwise are looking to replace something in their past that they lost.
They're all very bad boys, but they seem to be bad for a reason. I can't help wondering what those reasons are. Hopefully, we'll find out in the rest of the series.
January 21, 2013
Avis de Callixta
Samantha Kane vient d’opérer un virage important dans sa carrière. Cette auteure de romances érotiques que je vous recommande d’ailleurs, se lance dans la romance historique classique. Elle n’y est pas aussi à l’aise, commet quelques maladresses mais livre cependant un livre prometteur.
Samantha Kane a toujours écrit, en effet, des romances reposant sur des ménages à trois dans la période régence. Cela donne des livres fiévreux toujours avec deux hommes et une femme et des scènes d’une rare intensité. Nous retrouvons d’ailleurs partiellement ce talent ici car les scènes sensuelles sont assez épicées et montrent une entente irrésistible entre les protagonistes. Ceux-ci sont des personnages traditionnels de la romance : Alasdair Sharpe est un aristocrate qui s’amuse beaucoup et séduit les femmes. Il est aussi en possession d’une superbe perle ayant appartenu à ses ancêtres. En face de sa demeure londonienne réside un couple et leur fille. Celle-ci, Julianna est une discrète petite souris qui cache son tempérament sous des tenues modestes et qui ne va rien trouver de mieux que voler la perle d’Alasdair pour financer un orphelinat dont elle s’occupe. Son père a vécu de larçins toute sa vient simplement de prendre sa retraite et de remarier.
Ce départ fait un peu soupirer car une jeune fille de bonne famille a sans doute mieux à faire surtout quand elle se fait surprendre et abandonne gentiment sa virginité au propriétaire de la perle. Mais voilà, malgré ce côté presque trop vrai d’héroïne de romances historiques, le livre offre des aspects si plaisant que l’on passe par-dessus ces défauts. En effet, Julianna va ensuite devoir composer avec son vol et c’est bien plus compliqué qu’il n’y paraît. La perle sera le fil directeur du livre, toujours là pour relancer l’action, pour ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives et cela provoque une aventure intéressante.
Ajoutons à cela une intense relation amoureuse dans le couple formé par Alasdair et Julianna. Tous deux reconnaissent l’intensité de ce qui les unit et ont une liaison contrariée mais passionnée où, comme nous l’avons déjà dit, nous retrouvons l’habile plume de Samantha Kane pour ce genre de scènes.
Evidemment Alasdair n’est pas seul, il est avec plusieurs amis qui vont lui prêter main forte dans ses déboires et qui ont l’étoffe de futurs héros. Séduisants, complexes, voire msytérieux, ils sont très prometteurs.
Samantha Kane a su tirer partie de son intrigue et si ses personnages surtout Julianna pèche un peu et rappelle des héroïnes de jadis ce n’est que temporaire. Il faudra la suivre avec attention dans la suite de cette saga.
Samantha Kane vient d’opérer un virage important dans sa carrière. Cette auteure de romances érotiques que je vous recommande d’ailleurs, se lance dans la romance historique classique. Elle n’y est pas aussi à l’aise, commet quelques maladresses mais livre cependant un livre prometteur.
Samantha Kane a toujours écrit, en effet, des romances reposant sur des ménages à trois dans la période régence. Cela donne des livres fiévreux toujours avec deux hommes et une femme et des scènes d’une rare intensité. Nous retrouvons d’ailleurs partiellement ce talent ici car les scènes sensuelles sont assez épicées et montrent une entente irrésistible entre les protagonistes. Ceux-ci sont des personnages traditionnels de la romance : Alasdair Sharpe est un aristocrate qui s’amuse beaucoup et séduit les femmes. Il est aussi en possession d’une superbe perle ayant appartenu à ses ancêtres. En face de sa demeure londonienne réside un couple et leur fille. Celle-ci, Julianna est une discrète petite souris qui cache son tempérament sous des tenues modestes et qui ne va rien trouver de mieux que voler la perle d’Alasdair pour financer un orphelinat dont elle s’occupe. Son père a vécu de larçins toute sa vient simplement de prendre sa retraite et de remarier.
Ce départ fait un peu soupirer car une jeune fille de bonne famille a sans doute mieux à faire surtout quand elle se fait surprendre et abandonne gentiment sa virginité au propriétaire de la perle. Mais voilà, malgré ce côté presque trop vrai d’héroïne de romances historiques, le livre offre des aspects si plaisant que l’on passe par-dessus ces défauts. En effet, Julianna va ensuite devoir composer avec son vol et c’est bien plus compliqué qu’il n’y paraît. La perle sera le fil directeur du livre, toujours là pour relancer l’action, pour ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives et cela provoque une aventure intéressante.
Ajoutons à cela une intense relation amoureuse dans le couple formé par Alasdair et Julianna. Tous deux reconnaissent l’intensité de ce qui les unit et ont une liaison contrariée mais passionnée où, comme nous l’avons déjà dit, nous retrouvons l’habile plume de Samantha Kane pour ce genre de scènes.
Evidemment Alasdair n’est pas seul, il est avec plusieurs amis qui vont lui prêter main forte dans ses déboires et qui ont l’étoffe de futurs héros. Séduisants, complexes, voire msytérieux, ils sont très prometteurs.
Samantha Kane a su tirer partie de son intrigue et si ses personnages surtout Julianna pèche un peu et rappelle des héroïnes de jadis ce n’est que temporaire. Il faudra la suivre avec attention dans la suite de cette saga.
November 7, 2012
also on http://sillymelody.blogspot.com
Ok, I started this charming book on Monday and I was able to finish it today. I would probably have finished The Devil's Thief yesterday, but you know how life can get you. Anyways, let me share what's this is about and what I thought of the book.
It's amazing how life influences can impact, for instance Julianna Harte grew up with a father who stole to accommodate for his family. However, living pretty much day to day didn't help Julianna feel secure. Now that she's older and her father has remarried someone that has the means to make their life stable, Julianna has carried around these scars from her childhood with her.
Fascinating how scars can help you make decisions. They can be good, they can bad or little bit of both. Julianna had decided that she didn't want any child to suffer the uncertainty of life, so she opened up a foundling home. However, she didn't have the means to really support the idea. Which leads us to meet our hero.
Alasdair Sharpe has this priceless pearl that would fetch a nice profit to help her foundling home. Julianna decides to take matters into her own hands to steal the priceless item. What could go wrong? After all her dad stole for many years, how hard could it be, right? So, the story unfolds with her getting caught and if you want to know more you might want to read the book.
My thoughts: I actually enjoyed The Devil's Thief. I appreciate how the story was pretty fast-pass. Granted Julianna was a bit naïve, her father did a really good job on sheltering her from what he did to support them. Then you have the Alasdair, who happen to be a jerk through most of the story (and that's being nice). To be honest that didn't bother me. I kinda like his devil's attitude. However, his friends had to call him out on his behavior. Good thing he has friends that can be honest with him. Overall, The Devil's Thief amusing read that left me satisfy through most of the book. However, towards the end it was a tad bit far-fetch. Fortunately, I have no problem with it and made the ending truly unique. So, if you are looking for a charming read today, you might want to check out The Devil's Thief by Samantha Kane.
Copy provided by Random House through NetGalley
Ok, I started this charming book on Monday and I was able to finish it today. I would probably have finished The Devil's Thief yesterday, but you know how life can get you. Anyways, let me share what's this is about and what I thought of the book.
It's amazing how life influences can impact, for instance Julianna Harte grew up with a father who stole to accommodate for his family. However, living pretty much day to day didn't help Julianna feel secure. Now that she's older and her father has remarried someone that has the means to make their life stable, Julianna has carried around these scars from her childhood with her.
Fascinating how scars can help you make decisions. They can be good, they can bad or little bit of both. Julianna had decided that she didn't want any child to suffer the uncertainty of life, so she opened up a foundling home. However, she didn't have the means to really support the idea. Which leads us to meet our hero.
Alasdair Sharpe has this priceless pearl that would fetch a nice profit to help her foundling home. Julianna decides to take matters into her own hands to steal the priceless item. What could go wrong? After all her dad stole for many years, how hard could it be, right? So, the story unfolds with her getting caught and if you want to know more you might want to read the book.
My thoughts: I actually enjoyed The Devil's Thief. I appreciate how the story was pretty fast-pass. Granted Julianna was a bit naïve, her father did a really good job on sheltering her from what he did to support them. Then you have the Alasdair, who happen to be a jerk through most of the story (and that's being nice). To be honest that didn't bother me. I kinda like his devil's attitude. However, his friends had to call him out on his behavior. Good thing he has friends that can be honest with him. Overall, The Devil's Thief amusing read that left me satisfy through most of the book. However, towards the end it was a tad bit far-fetch. Fortunately, I have no problem with it and made the ending truly unique. So, if you are looking for a charming read today, you might want to check out The Devil's Thief by Samantha Kane.
Copy provided by Random House through NetGalley
October 24, 2012
Julianna Harte is the daughter of a successful thief of a father who finally married a wealthy woman and gave up his ways. But living that life growing up with her Dad she's learned a thing or two, and she's not afraid to put those skills to use to get what she needs. Which is to steal the priceless pearl of Alasdair Sharpe. If she can get her hands on it to sell, then she'll have enough money to pay the back rent on the home for abandoned children that she's helped start. What she doesn't count on is getting caught in the process of stealing that pearl by Alasdair himself.
Alasdair Sharpe has just awoken in the dead of night to a thief in his bedroom. When he figures out that his little thief is a woman he's overcome with a burning lust. So what's a man to do? Why proposition his delightful little burglar. If she'll burn up the bed sheets with him, then he'll promise to give her the pearl. Of course it's not a promise he plans on keeping. But after a night of amazing, passionate sex he falls into a deep sleep and doesn't wake up until his thief is long gone. With his pearl. Now he's got to find the thief and get his family's pearl back.
He'll ask his two closest friends, Roger and Hil, they'll track the burglar down and get the pearl back. But what will Alasdair do when he finds out that the burglar is Julianna? And what happens when he starts to develop feelings for her? Does he concentrate his attentions on her, or the pearl?
This story doesn't just have great characters in Julianna and Alasdair, it's also got delightful secondary characters in Roger and Hil. (Oh, how I cannot WAIT to read about Roger's downfall over a woman!) Endearing love story for you historical romance swooning ladies that you'll burn the weekend away reading. I give it a four wine glass toast and avidly look forward to the next book in the series! Bravo Ms. Samantha Kane for a well written book!
To read this review and many others, check out Reading Between the Wines Book Club!
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...
Alasdair Sharpe has just awoken in the dead of night to a thief in his bedroom. When he figures out that his little thief is a woman he's overcome with a burning lust. So what's a man to do? Why proposition his delightful little burglar. If she'll burn up the bed sheets with him, then he'll promise to give her the pearl. Of course it's not a promise he plans on keeping. But after a night of amazing, passionate sex he falls into a deep sleep and doesn't wake up until his thief is long gone. With his pearl. Now he's got to find the thief and get his family's pearl back.
He'll ask his two closest friends, Roger and Hil, they'll track the burglar down and get the pearl back. But what will Alasdair do when he finds out that the burglar is Julianna? And what happens when he starts to develop feelings for her? Does he concentrate his attentions on her, or the pearl?
This story doesn't just have great characters in Julianna and Alasdair, it's also got delightful secondary characters in Roger and Hil. (Oh, how I cannot WAIT to read about Roger's downfall over a woman!) Endearing love story for you historical romance swooning ladies that you'll burn the weekend away reading. I give it a four wine glass toast and avidly look forward to the next book in the series! Bravo Ms. Samantha Kane for a well written book!
To read this review and many others, check out Reading Between the Wines Book Club!
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...
November 10, 2012
Julianna Harte, the daughter of a reformed jewel thief, sneaks into the bedroom of Alasdair Sharpe intent on stealing an invaluable pearl, which will help her save her home for foundlings. When Alasdaire catches her in the act, he strikes a deal that will forever change both of their lives.
Julianna is a fun and delightful character, even though she's fairly unconventional for the era because of her strange upbringing. Her inner dialogue was fresh and entertaining, as was most of the writing in this story. Julianna's love affair with Alasdair was seductive and steamy, though curiously, their first encounter was a abbreviated for some reason. I thought that might be made clearer by the end of the book but I'm still puzzled by that, especially after one really HOT scene in a library.
Alasdaire was appealing but I never quite figured out exactly who he was beyond having a very active love life before Julianna. His friends, Hilary St. John and Roger Templeton, seemed the more interesting and clever members of the 'Saint's Devils,' a moniker created when they were in college for their group of rogues. I liked him with Julianna but he was otherwise unremarkable.
While Julianna's reason for stealing the pearl and attempting to later sell it made for some excitement, that premise broke down later in the story, leaving it pretty flat and implausible in the end. But, it did lead to another interesting character named Wiley and I'm counting on seeing more of him in the series.
This was a very enjoyable story with a refreshing heroine who wasn't always making the best of decisions but that seemed in keeping with the character. The series shows promise as the other members of the Saint's Devils have already captured my interest. I'm rating it 3.5 stars and recommend it to those who enjoy interesting characters and steamy romances.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
Julianna is a fun and delightful character, even though she's fairly unconventional for the era because of her strange upbringing. Her inner dialogue was fresh and entertaining, as was most of the writing in this story. Julianna's love affair with Alasdair was seductive and steamy, though curiously, their first encounter was a abbreviated for some reason. I thought that might be made clearer by the end of the book but I'm still puzzled by that, especially after one really HOT scene in a library.
Alasdaire was appealing but I never quite figured out exactly who he was beyond having a very active love life before Julianna. His friends, Hilary St. John and Roger Templeton, seemed the more interesting and clever members of the 'Saint's Devils,' a moniker created when they were in college for their group of rogues. I liked him with Julianna but he was otherwise unremarkable.
While Julianna's reason for stealing the pearl and attempting to later sell it made for some excitement, that premise broke down later in the story, leaving it pretty flat and implausible in the end. But, it did lead to another interesting character named Wiley and I'm counting on seeing more of him in the series.
This was a very enjoyable story with a refreshing heroine who wasn't always making the best of decisions but that seemed in keeping with the character. The series shows promise as the other members of the Saint's Devils have already captured my interest. I'm rating it 3.5 stars and recommend it to those who enjoy interesting characters and steamy romances.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
January 15, 2013
I was lucky enough to get a review copy from NetGalley thanks to the publisher. I love fun and sexy historical romances, and Samantha Kane totally delivered.
When Julianna Harte slips into Alasdair Sharp’s bedroom window to steal a priceless pearl, she has no idea how fast her life will change. First she is caught by Alasdair and bargains with him for the pearl. One night in his bed and she gets to take possession of the pearl. Neither Alasdair nor Julianna realize how much that one night will come to mean to them. Alasdair had never really planned to give Julianna the pearl, he planned to make her his mistress and give her even more. Of course the fact that he doesn’t actually know her real name makes for some comical investigating with his friends Roger and Hilary. Alasdair and Julianna both pretty much fell in lust with one another on the night they first were together. I loved watching them stumble along as they actually fell in love with one another. After Julianna sells the pearl to help pay the rent on the foundling home, she soon realizes she needs it back to give to Alasdair. Alasdair wants her to let him handle retrieving the pearl back from the unscrupulous man she sold it to, but Julianna is under the impression she must return the pearl to win Alasdair’s heart.
The chemistry between Alasdair and Julianna is really hot, even when it is Julianna’s first time. Every time they get close to one another, they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Love the romance between them too. While the passion is there, the sweet is also there. I loved getting both with this wonderful couple.
I really enjoyed The Devil’s Thief and can’t wait to read more books in this series. The official release date was November 12, 2012 and can be purchased from your favorite online retailer. For more information about the author and her books, check out her website.
When Julianna Harte slips into Alasdair Sharp’s bedroom window to steal a priceless pearl, she has no idea how fast her life will change. First she is caught by Alasdair and bargains with him for the pearl. One night in his bed and she gets to take possession of the pearl. Neither Alasdair nor Julianna realize how much that one night will come to mean to them. Alasdair had never really planned to give Julianna the pearl, he planned to make her his mistress and give her even more. Of course the fact that he doesn’t actually know her real name makes for some comical investigating with his friends Roger and Hilary. Alasdair and Julianna both pretty much fell in lust with one another on the night they first were together. I loved watching them stumble along as they actually fell in love with one another. After Julianna sells the pearl to help pay the rent on the foundling home, she soon realizes she needs it back to give to Alasdair. Alasdair wants her to let him handle retrieving the pearl back from the unscrupulous man she sold it to, but Julianna is under the impression she must return the pearl to win Alasdair’s heart.
The chemistry between Alasdair and Julianna is really hot, even when it is Julianna’s first time. Every time they get close to one another, they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Love the romance between them too. While the passion is there, the sweet is also there. I loved getting both with this wonderful couple.
I really enjoyed The Devil’s Thief and can’t wait to read more books in this series. The official release date was November 12, 2012 and can be purchased from your favorite online retailer. For more information about the author and her books, check out her website.
November 7, 2012
Miss Juianna Harte sneaks into her neighbor, Mr. Alasdair Sharpe's, window with the express intent of stealing The Stewart Pearl...she doesn't realize she's actually stepping into a sticky sticky web that will only pull her tighter in. When Alasdair proposes a trade ~ a night in his bed for the pearl, she hops on it. She's sponsoring a Foundling home, and is behind on the rent...she has no other choice, does? And of course, it doesn't help that she's very attracted to Mr. Alasdair Sharpe and he's yet to even realize she's alive...but he's realizing it now.
When Alasdair wakes the next morning to realize that not only is his thief gone, but so is his pearl, he drafts his two closest buddies, the other "Devils" and they begin to track down the unknown thief. It isn't long before he finds his Shakespeare quoting thief, and Alasdair truly begins to wonder about himself because he can NOT keep his hands off of her...or his thoughts.
This was really a great read! At first I wasn't sure ~ it took me a few chapters to get into it, and I still want to kick Alasdairs butt for being such an ass at times, but I love that he and Julianna were so drawn to one another. From the moment they met, it was apparent that this rogue was going DOWN. I loved that he seemed to grow up quite a bit during the story, with the help of his fellow Devils (and I can't wait to read their stories!) and began to see Julianna as the true treasure.
The passion between them is sizzling, and the love scenes will scroch you! I loved the whole cast of characters Samantha Kane brought on board with this one, and I'm anxious to see where she'll take us!
I'd give this an absolute 4 out of 5!!
When Alasdair wakes the next morning to realize that not only is his thief gone, but so is his pearl, he drafts his two closest buddies, the other "Devils" and they begin to track down the unknown thief. It isn't long before he finds his Shakespeare quoting thief, and Alasdair truly begins to wonder about himself because he can NOT keep his hands off of her...or his thoughts.
This was really a great read! At first I wasn't sure ~ it took me a few chapters to get into it, and I still want to kick Alasdairs butt for being such an ass at times, but I love that he and Julianna were so drawn to one another. From the moment they met, it was apparent that this rogue was going DOWN. I loved that he seemed to grow up quite a bit during the story, with the help of his fellow Devils (and I can't wait to read their stories!) and began to see Julianna as the true treasure.
The passion between them is sizzling, and the love scenes will scroch you! I loved the whole cast of characters Samantha Kane brought on board with this one, and I'm anxious to see where she'll take us!
I'd give this an absolute 4 out of 5!!
December 17, 2012
I have been a fan of Samantha Kane’s Brothers in Arms series for years. As a matter of fact, she may be the author that introduced me to the joys of a menage relationship (reading about it people, not living it!) I love her books, so I was excited to have the chance of reviewing her first book for a mainstream publisher. I was also nervous because I was afraid her style would be changed because the book was intended for a different audience.
I shouldn't have worried.
The Devil’s Thief is a straight historical romance. There is no sexual kink involved, but the sex scenes are still hot. More importantly, the relationship between Julianna and Alasdair is heart warming. They got off to such a bad start and they have so many problems to overcome, you really, really want them to work things out.
Julianna is the more likable of the two characters. After her unconventional upbringing, she is determined to help other children who have no one to care for them. That is why she turns to thievery. She does not have the money to keep her foundling home afloat.
Alasdair, however, is a rake and an immature one at that. Although the heirloom belongs to his side of the family, he only really wants it to spite his cousin. That is until Julianna steals it. Fortunately, Alasdair realizes he must grow up if he is going to win Julianna and regain the heirloom. More importantly, he realizes that Julianna is what he really cares about, not the heirloom. He finally understands which is the true “pearl of great value.”
There are a number of characters introduced in this book who I am sure will have their own stories soon. The next book in the series, Tempting the Devil, is about Alasdair’s friend Roger. It will be released in July of 2013 and I cannot wait.
I shouldn't have worried.
The Devil’s Thief is a straight historical romance. There is no sexual kink involved, but the sex scenes are still hot. More importantly, the relationship between Julianna and Alasdair is heart warming. They got off to such a bad start and they have so many problems to overcome, you really, really want them to work things out.
Julianna is the more likable of the two characters. After her unconventional upbringing, she is determined to help other children who have no one to care for them. That is why she turns to thievery. She does not have the money to keep her foundling home afloat.
Alasdair, however, is a rake and an immature one at that. Although the heirloom belongs to his side of the family, he only really wants it to spite his cousin. That is until Julianna steals it. Fortunately, Alasdair realizes he must grow up if he is going to win Julianna and regain the heirloom. More importantly, he realizes that Julianna is what he really cares about, not the heirloom. He finally understands which is the true “pearl of great value.”
There are a number of characters introduced in this book who I am sure will have their own stories soon. The next book in the series, Tempting the Devil, is about Alasdair’s friend Roger. It will be released in July of 2013 and I cannot wait.
September 9, 2012
Julianna Harte is a woman with a problem. She is behind in rent payments for her children’s home, and she desperately requires money. Her solution is to steal the Stewart pearl from Alasdair Sharp and sell it to fund her home. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan when Alasdair catches her in the act. She speaks without thinking, and once he learns she’s a woman he’s intrigued by his thief in the night. Julianna negotiates with him—her virginity in exchange for the pearl, and when Alasdair wakes the next morning both Julianna and the pearl are gone. Thus begins Alasdair’s search for the mystery woman who misunderstood his intent and stole his family heirloom.
The Devil’s Thief is a fast-paced third person historical set in 1817 London. The main characters, Julianna and Alasdair draw sparks each page they spend together. Both were strong-willed and determined to best the other, but they soon come to see they’re better together. The scenes between the pair are fun and steamy with the odd Shakespearean quote thrown in for good measure.
The cast of secondary characters added to the rollicking fun, and I particularly enjoyed Sir Hilary St. John and Wiley. I hope we get to see more of both in the future.
The Devil’s Thief leads the reader on an enjoyable adventure through 1817 London. There’s danger, excitement, love and laughter before journey’s end and a satisfying resolution. Recommended.
Due out 12 November 2012 from Bantam Loveswept. This ARC was provided by the publisher.
The Devil’s Thief is a fast-paced third person historical set in 1817 London. The main characters, Julianna and Alasdair draw sparks each page they spend together. Both were strong-willed and determined to best the other, but they soon come to see they’re better together. The scenes between the pair are fun and steamy with the odd Shakespearean quote thrown in for good measure.
The cast of secondary characters added to the rollicking fun, and I particularly enjoyed Sir Hilary St. John and Wiley. I hope we get to see more of both in the future.
The Devil’s Thief leads the reader on an enjoyable adventure through 1817 London. There’s danger, excitement, love and laughter before journey’s end and a satisfying resolution. Recommended.
Due out 12 November 2012 from Bantam Loveswept. This ARC was provided by the publisher.
November 11, 2012
*I won this ARC on Herding Cats and Burning Soup blog and received it from Random House through NetGalley.*
I have really enjoyed all the characters in The Devil's Thief. I will definitely be following the rest of this series.
Alasdair and Julianna caught me up with their first meeting when she was caught stealing his pearl. She steals it for funds to help pay rent on the foundling home she helps to run. He catches her in his bedroom and offers a deal. The pearl for a night in his bed. He has no intentions of actually going through with his end of the deal and wakes up the next morning to find her gone.....with the pearl. When he finds out who she is he, along with his friends, follow her in hopes of finding the pearl. I enjoyed the ride that Samantha took me on with these two and his friends. Wiley even found his place in my reading heart. I now find myself eager for July 2013 so I can continue with Roger and the woman who claims his heart.
The only thing I found myself wishing for, was more to the ending. I wanted to know more about what may follow. I felt a tad bit left hanging. I loved the humor and the way Ms. Kane weaves her tales. She kept me glued to the book. Every scene was just the right length and moved smoothly into the next which is a plus for me. I love when I can read a story and not think of anything other than what's going on in that tale. I hate to find myself thinking,"Will this hurry and be done with". I never found myself thinking that here. All in all, I give this 4 stars.
I have really enjoyed all the characters in The Devil's Thief. I will definitely be following the rest of this series.
Alasdair and Julianna caught me up with their first meeting when she was caught stealing his pearl. She steals it for funds to help pay rent on the foundling home she helps to run. He catches her in his bedroom and offers a deal. The pearl for a night in his bed. He has no intentions of actually going through with his end of the deal and wakes up the next morning to find her gone.....with the pearl. When he finds out who she is he, along with his friends, follow her in hopes of finding the pearl. I enjoyed the ride that Samantha took me on with these two and his friends. Wiley even found his place in my reading heart. I now find myself eager for July 2013 so I can continue with Roger and the woman who claims his heart.
The only thing I found myself wishing for, was more to the ending. I wanted to know more about what may follow. I felt a tad bit left hanging. I loved the humor and the way Ms. Kane weaves her tales. She kept me glued to the book. Every scene was just the right length and moved smoothly into the next which is a plus for me. I love when I can read a story and not think of anything other than what's going on in that tale. I hate to find myself thinking,"Will this hurry and be done with". I never found myself thinking that here. All in all, I give this 4 stars.
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