I loved this story!!! This is book 1 in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency. Gabriella had a hard life. She grew up on the streets forced to work as a thief to survive. Gabriella thought she had left her life of crime behind her until a fellow resident at the boarding house is falsely accused of theft. While breaking into a safe holding the proof that proves her friend innocent Gabriella is reconnected with past - her best friend until he abandoned her.
Nicholas was taken in by a professor who gave him all the best opportunities. Nicholas is living a life among society. Nicholas and Gabriella's newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed.
Jen Turano has such a way with her writing you are captivated from beginning to end.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

As always with these mystery style Christian romance books, I'm never shocked by the result. That never matters, as the path to getting the answer is always so much fun!

This is the first book by this author that I’ve read. My daughter loves her and I wanted to check her out myself. I was not disappointed. Her writing is so funny and it’s perfect for those busy times of the year when you want something lighthearted but yet with a message. I’m glad this is the first in the series and I can’t wait to read more from this author. She does a great job with both the storyline and her character development.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit but was not under any obligation to write a review. All opinions are strictly mine.

Jen Turano's books are always a breath of fresh air in the otherwise crowded genre of historical romance. Her screwball-comedy spin on the genre never fails to deliver plenty of laughs as well as heart. Always recommended!

I normally love Jen Turano's light-hearted books, but I had a hard time getting into this one. The interaction between the 2 main characters was a little unbelievable somehow, and while I did finish reading it, I think this is not one of her best, unfortunately.

Gab
Nicholas

Loved it and listened to last four chapters twice! I have loved everything I’ve read by Jen. I get very excited when I know she has a new release.

Hoopla Audiobook

I can’t wait for Daphne’s story.

The first chapter of To Steal a Heart had me laughing out loud and the fun continued as young women in a New York City boarding house set out to prove the innocence of a friend accused of theft. After police consider the case solved, Gabriella, Daphne, and Eunice become wanna-be detectives and they're soon aided by a man who was Gabriella's childhood friend. Suddenly, another intriguing element is added to the picture, as Gabriella and Nicholas recall the special bond they shared as children and experience a rekindling of their affection for each other. The story that follows has a mixture of unusual characters, dangerous activities, heartwarming discoveries, and the promise of sweet romance.

When I see that Jen Turano has written a new book, I immediately associate it with fun and laughter and this book certainly met my expectations. This is the first book in The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency and I look forward to seeing what's ahead for these quirky women detectives. I highly recommend To Steal a Heart to all who enjoy historical romantic fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was never required and no monetary compensation was given. These are my own thoughts.

As always Jen Turano made me laugh and get involved in a story that went by much too quickly. This book had absolutely everything I love in a book-great characters, humor, and a little bit of mystery/adventure. I can't wait for the next one in the series!

I so enjoyed this book. Gabriella and Nicholas were just great characters. I loved their friendship and romantic tension (though, they didn't want to acknowledge it!). They were such good friends to start with, that I was rooting for the transformation into more with relative ease for them.

I liked this book as the start of a new series. There was some set up and a new cast of characters that I hope to get to know more about in future books. It's a great concept of a series though and I cannot wait to see where the author takes the agency. Great characters and a good plot made this one I didn't want to put down.

It was a 4/5.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

You are always in for a good laugh with Jen Turano, but I believe this is my favorite book by her this far!!
With the undercover work these ladies had me going for a wild ride with all their disguises and quick banter.

I ALWAYS love a Jen Turano book. If you ever need to relax, just let go and get lost in a book, choose one of her stories. This is another hilarious, heart touching Jen Turano hit. Set in the late 1800s New York City, orphaned street thieves grow up and meet again to use their special talents. With chaos. And some deep hurt feelings. Twisting, turning storylines that come from several places and gracefully wind together. Genius. Characters you have to love. It will steal your heart!

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#ToStealaHeart #NetGalley

Another darling story by Jen Turano! The characters are a lot of fun, and the humor is just what I needed after the crazy year that was 2020. This is wonderful novel to pick up!

To Steal a Heart
by Jen Turano
Bethany House
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 17 Nov 2020


I am reviewing a copy of To Steal a Heart through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:



Gabriella Goodhue thought she put put her past behind her, she had been a childhood as a street thief until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. In the middle of breaking into a safe that holds the proof to prove her friend's innocence, Gabriella is interrupted by Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend until he abandoned her.




Nicholas Quinn was living far removed from his childhood life of crime after he was taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as heir.





Nicholas agreed to help clear the name of an innocent woman as a favor to a friend. The last thing he could have imagined he'd be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.



Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.



If you are looking for a book full of clean romance and mystery, I highly recommend To Steal A Heart by Jen Turano.




I give To Steal A Heart five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

I am a huge Jen Turano fan, but this one really blew me away! I think it is her best book yet. I have always loved the quirkiness of her books and that they often make me laugh out loud while being historically accurate and having Christian themes. It has never bothered me that they were light reads. But this one had a depth that pleasantly surprised me. I was amazed how she kept the light, fun, and quirky feel while exploring some really deep themes and emotions. I absolutely loved it! I am so looking forward to more like this from her!

I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book from NetGalley.

Whenever I see there’s a new book by Jen Turano, my first reaction is to smile. I know I’ll want a stretch of undisturbed time to read the book, because I’ll quickly be absorbed in the story. If the rest of the books in this new series, “The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency” are as much fun and entertaining as this first book is, there’s great reading ahead.


The opening chapter of this book is SO much fun. I immediately loved the two main characters, Gabriella and Nicholas. Both were accomplished thieves in their childhood, but circumstances separated them at an early age. As adults, they use their “talents” developed in childhood only for legitimate investigative purposes. Although neither is aware of it, they attend the same society party with the same goal—to clear a client’s/friend’s name and prove that she was set up to appear to have stolen some jewels. When they unexpectedly run into each other for the first time in many years, the fireworks begin. The fun in this chapter sets the tone for the rest of the book. The action in the story moves quickly, and by the end of the book, I was cheering for Gabriella and Nicholas to work through almost impossible situations to find their happily-ever-after.

There’s another quirky character in this book, Daphne, who also added some great comedy to the story. I’m hoping she gets her own book in this series.


This book also has an inspirational theme: God defines who you truly are, not your past or your present circumstances. This is a clean, sweet book that was a pleasure to read.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano is the first book in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency. Gabriella Goodhue grew up on the streets. As she entered adulthood, she left that life behind and became a member of the working class. When a fellow boarder is accused of theft, Gabriella decides to investigate by locating the missing items by breaking into safes of possible suspects which she learned to do in her past life. While breaking in, she runs into Nicholas Quinn, a childhood friend who is now passing as a societal gentleman, and together they join forces to discover who is behind the thefts. Turano has once again created a Gilded Age mystery filled with romance, comedy, memorable characters, and snappy dialogue.

I was so excited to read this book! Jen Turano is one of my favorite authors, and she did not disappoint with To Steal a Heart. I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters-Gabriella, Nicholas, Daphne, Eunice, Monsieur Villard...each one of them were unique and fun and made the book entertaining.

What I especially love about Jen Turano's novels is how funny they are. And this book was no different. Gabriella, Nicholas, Daphne, Eunice, and Monsieur Villard always seem to end up in these humorous (and dangerous) situations.

I love Nicholas. He is such a gentleman. And he clearly cares for Gabriella. He has such a good, Christian heart. He tries his best, being in high society, to help those who were in the Lower East side, thieving to survive. But what I think I like about him most is the fact that he has a dog. A dog named Winston, to be exact, who wears an eye patch and loves to be spoken to in a pirate voice.

Gabriella is stubborn and proves time and again that she is a capable woman, especially after living out on the streets. She starts her investigation business when a friend is falsely accused of stealing. This catches the attention of society, and she and the entire boardinghouse she lives in becomes The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency.

My absolute favorite character out of all of them, though, was Daphne. Also part of The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, she doesn't fare well in stressful situations. She tends to faint when nervous and always carries smelling salts with her. She also carries a notebook with her to write down "poems"-or, rather, book ideas since she is actually an author. But since at that time female authors were not popular, she wrote under an assumed male name.

Other characters such as Monsieur Villard and Eunice did certainly make the book that much more enjoyable. Not only that, but I also like the author's writing style. It's fast paced. And I like the humor in her stories. It definitely makes it a light read. But don't be fooled-there are some serious moments in the book, such as Gabriella's journey to find out who her parents are. And also the issues of high society, and the divide between them and the poor. When I started getting into Gilded Age fiction, I often wondered how those in the New York Four Hundred treated those less fortunate than themselves. I'm sure some were kind, but, as shown in To Steal a Heart, some were also snobby and looked down on others.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book. I have no complaints and it's definitely one of my favorites. I would definitely give it five out of five stars.

I received a complimentary copy of the book and this is my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this story! It had all
the comedy you expect to find in one of Jen’s books and a couple that I adored. I’m excited to see the rest of this series because all the side characters were delightful as well.

Although To Steal a Heart wasn’t my favorite by Turano, it still featured the author’s signature humor and comedic slapstick, an engaging premise, and intriguing characters you can't wait to read more of as the series progresses.

I loved how the author allowed this colorful cast of characters to shine as the women at the boardinghouse banded together to prove the innocence of one of their own, and then eventually formed an inquiry agency full of female detectives. The quirkiness and hilarity easily filtered into the scenes when they were undercover or outside their comfort zones – and I really enjoyed their antics. Out of all the characters, I was most intrigued by Eunice and Daphne – and I can’t wait to read more about them as the series continues.

The downfall for me was that the story lost momentum in the middle when the plot shifted entirely. Thankfully, the plot picked up pace towards the end as secrets and mysteries were revealed – and I found myself enjoying the story more animatedly again.

I also wasn’t deeply attached to the main characters due to their misunderstandings, prejudices, and behaviors from the onset to the middle of the story. As the story progressed and the characters evolved, I found it hard to relate to the strength of their friendship because of how long it took for it to be rekindled and the seemingly short time it had to build from there. Consequently, I really didn’t feel a spark in their romance, but objectively it was a sweet ending for their relationship.

Overall, this story is likeable and enjoyable as a whole, but not one I’d want to read again. However, I'm still eager to continue reading the rest of the series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

An amazing book from Jen Turano. Can be read as a stand-alone. This is a historical Christian fiction book