Name of book: To Love a Thief
Publisher: Warner Books
Genre: Historical Romance
Fans: 5 Fans
Up for: RITA in Best Short Historical

I sincerely recommend you find a comfortable spot and be prepared to set aside a generous portion of your time before you start reading To Love a Thief by RITA nominee Julie Anne Long. This is the truly heavenly story of a hard working barrister, Gideon Cole and a charming, pick pocket, Lily Masters. Set in the Regency Era, this story played out like a movie in my head while I was reading it. The story is fluid and fast paced.

Gideon Cole doesn’t have a title nor is he wealthy. He is, however, very successful in his profession as a brilliant barrister. He has a heart of gold and his own Master Plan to bring him the success he so craves. He’s determined to get out of poverty and secure a coveted position in the Treasury. At the heart of his Master Plan is breathakinly beautiful and perfect wife material, Lady Constance Clary. The daugther of wealthy and influential marquis, Lady Constance represents Gideon’s road to success. Alas, Lady Constance will not be so easily wooed she must have the best of everything. Including a charming townhouse in London. Gideon sets out to get it for her and then offer it to her as a wedding present. He takes the last thirty pounds to his name and is on his way to buy the townhouse.

Lily Masters is a destitute orphan with no one to watch over her. For Lily “there’s only today”. Lily doesn’t plan for the future because there is no point. She cannot envision the future when she can barely put food on the table and roof over her head. Lily’s younger sister Alice is everything to Lily the reason why she must survive on the dirty and hard streets of St. Giles. A thief by necessity not by choice, Lily has tried to secure decent work only to have doors slammed in her face. She is an excellent pick pocket, very good at what she does until she makes a costly mistake. She “picks” a victim who puts up a fight, captures her and is ready to see her to Newgate himself. Until a dashing stranger, oh no the one she tried to rob the day before actually, offers thirty pounds for her freedom.

Thus Lily is now indebted to Gideon for saving her from a grim fate. Gideon is not about to let her go without getting his thirty pounds back, all he had left. What to do? Gideon’s Master Plan has now been altered he must find a way around to see it to fruition. To him Lily is more street urchin than a lady… Of course, with enough polish he can maybe pass off Lily as a lady. Perhaps as his best friend’s relative to incite Lady Constance’s jealousy. So a bargain is made, Lily will repay Gideon back by posing as a lady, thereby helping him catch his heiress. The perfect plan.
But the best laid plans often go awry when an attraction starts brewing between Lily and Gideon. On top of that Gideon starts to doubt Lily can be reformed into a lady. Lily walks to fast, like a thief, he says. Lily eats everything in sight, at one point at the dinner table, Gideon gently advices “slowly, Miss Masters, as you reach…don’t dangle your sleeve through the candle, as it is bad form to go up in flames at a dinner party.”
Lily doesn’t play the pianoforte nor does she know how to ride a horse or dance. Though her voice is unique and sexy enough to have Gideon’s heart slamming against his chest everytime he hears it…is Lily cultured enough to have a witty conversation with say, Lady Constance? Will the Lily’s experience in the harsh living conditions of St. Giles come in handy while in the glittery company of the ton?
More importantly, will Lily revert to picking the pockets of unsuspecting ladies and lords while in society? Gideon hopes not because in Lily he sees a diamond in the rough. A diamond with a heart capable of boundless love.

To Love a Thief had me crying and laughing (sometimes at the same time). The scene where Gideon and his best friend, Kilmartin teach Lily to dance a reel is absolutely hilarious. I need to get another copy of this book because unfortunately, I broke the spine after reading it three times already.
This heartwarming story is filled with fascinating characters who seemed so real to me I felt like they did exist back in the Regency days. The secondary characters are well developed. Ms. Long does a wonderful job at explaining character motivation and revealing information through exquisitely written dialogue, narrative and description.
I was cheering for Gideon and Lily I wanted them to be happy. I felt their anguish, longing and their growing love for one another. The hero, is understanding, sweet, observant and dedicated not only to Lily but to all those around him. The heroine is not only beautiful in her own right, she’s smart, funny, practical and selfless. By the time they give into each other physically, it just feels so right for them to be together. Made for each other. Meant for each other.
Ms. Long’s voice is unique like Lily’s. Miss Long is a brilliant storyteller with so much to offer to this genre. Bravo! Ms. Long, you kept me entertained the entire time.

Julie Anne Long lives in San Francisco with her fat orange cat, Domenic. She’s the author of The Runaway Duke (her debut), Beauty and The Spy and the upcoming Ways to be Wicked all published by Warner Books.