The Steal is a novella that successfully packs adventure and romance into an evocative 1957 Cannes. Fun read!

A well written mystery with lots of historical fiction mixed in. When her entire collection of jewels and jewelry is stolen, she'll join forces with a private investigator to retrieve what is hers. I loved the feel of the chase and the characters as they try to keep up with the theif.

This book is so wonderful and pretty much has a good combo of several different genres. Mystery, romance and, of course, some historical fiction too!

It’s 1957 in France and we meet Ania Throne, who’s head of one of the biggest jewelry companies. She has just recently taken over the company after her dad was forced out by the Board of Directors.

Leopard, a very infamous jewelry thief has managed to take off with Ania’s entire collection.

It’s up to her and Jerome, who’s an insurance investigator, to figure out how they can trap and reveal the Leopard’s true identity.

One of the prettiest covers I've seen. I'd love to have a poster of this.

But The Steal is more than just a pretty cover. C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose give us a story of intrigue and romance in this first book of the series following Ania and Jerome.

You might as well go ahead and imagine Ania as Grace Kelly and Jerome as Cary Grant. If you love those classic movies like To Catch a Thief, you'll like The Steal.

Ania is beautiful, determined, and icy. Jerome is intelligent and charming enough to melt her. Together they try to outsmart a legendary jewel thief.

I received my copy free from Netgalley for review purposes.

Anita goes to Cannes with a new jewelry collection until it gets stolen. Enter Jerome the investigator who’s hired to find the missing collection. Anita and Jerome are so cute together. This book is primarily a mystery with some romance thrower in. The ending was predictable but it didn’t take away from the book.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

I enjoyed the old Hollywood vibe and thievery of the arts that was a major role in this book. It just didn’t hook me enough to keep me focused.

Jewelry designer Ania Throne is on the cusp of debuting a thrilling new line at the Cannes Film Festivals with such luminaries as Elizabeth Taylor wearing her creations. However, on the eve of the event, the valuable pieces are stolen from their secure storage location.

WWII veteran and insurance investigator Jerome Curtis recognize jewel theft The Leopard’s signature. He has long been on his tail, and now The Leopard could be in his grasp. His growing feelings for Ania, however, compromise his concentration and objectivity.

A fun novella of romantic suspense, THE STEAL has alternating points-of-view between Ania and Jerome. The result is a throwback to 1950s noir (at times with the associated attitudes). What I love most about it is the Parisian setting and descriptions of opulent fashion.

This was fast paced and went down easy. The shortness makes for a good reading slump buster. Both authors did well alternating the two perspectives smoothly while keeping a distinct voice for the two characters. Sometimes the plot backtracked when the viewpoint was switched but it soon picked the pace back up.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ecopy. All views expressed are my own.

Set in 1950’s France, jewelry collection owner, Ania, travels to Cannes for the film festival and brings along her company’s newest collection of fine jewelry for the actresses to wear to the event. When the jewelry is stolen in a heist by a well know jewel thief, security specialist Jerome is hired to track down the thief and the jewels. Jerome will investigate more than just the crime when he meets Ania.

This was a high energy whodunnit with a side of romance. I enjoyed reading about the time period and the post war aftermath in France.

Loved this book. Such a great plot, so engrossing. I would love to read more collaborations from these authors.

I love the plot and the writing. The story was very engrossing. I would love to read more collaborations from these authors.

Diamonds are forever, or are they? Now that depends upon who has them, who kept them and where they wind up. A suspenseful story that will keep your interest. Written by two of my favorite authors, you can't go wrong.

I received a free ARC ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Steal is an enjoyable read; I would have given it three stars except for the rather abrupt ending. Obviously another entry in a series is planned but this title's end just seems unsatisfactory and incomplete. Even books in a series should have a conclusion, albeit a temporary one.

Set in the glittery world of Cannes in the late 1950s, Ania Throne is a famous jewelry designer to the stars. Her new collection, set to be worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn, represents her best work. She appears as hard and determined as the diamonds she styles. The collection is also the target of the jewel thief known as The Leopard. Enter insurance investigator Jerome Curtis, a World War II veteran with secrets of his own. It is he who believes the theft to be the work of the elusive Leopard.

While reading this book I imagined it as a movie, perhaps starring Gregory Peck or William Holden. Both actors carry that weary, lonely air as they move about. I had trouble casting Ania. But for Ania and Jerome, their suddenly dangerous quest to save the remainder of the Throne jewels has them traveling to Paris and New York. Gortner's plot is well paced with the glamorous settings adding to the story.

I loved the Old Hollywood feel of this one!! It was so fun!! The ending did seem a little abrupt, but knowing that it is a series makes that make more sense!

Set in 1950’s # The Steal is by M.J. Rose and C.W. Gortner. Taking place in Paris at the famous Carlton hotel. It’s a race against time…..
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley and #Blue Box Press

Now that I've learned this will be a series I'm less upset about the terribly abrupt ending.

This book gave me vibes of 50s Hollywood with the glitz and glamour of that era.

I didn't know was that it was a novella - which is OK - or that it was the first in a series and ended on a cliffhanger - I had to do research to confirm and then gave it a higher rating because of this.

Jerome and Ania is literally full of jetsetting from the glitz and glamour of Canne, across continents, and across boundaries

The Steal is a mystery with a hint of romance along for the ride.

This was a quick, fast read about a jewelry heist in Paris in the last 50's. It was perfect for a Sunday afternoon read.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It kept me in engaged although I felt the story wasn’t complete enough. Come to find out, it is the first of a series of 3. I guess I would have enjoyed it more if all three had been put together in one book. The story centers around the insurance investigation of a jewel theft and has several twists and turns along the way including some romance. The characters are well developed and relatable. I did buy the second book and found it really doesn’t stand alone without having read this one.

This was a fun, quick read! I was intrigued because the cover, along with the description, felt reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, and I was not disappointed.

Ania is a fascinating main character, in her strength, the way she carries herself, and the way she uses her femininity as a weapon, and I can’t wait to read more of her perspective. She feels like a very powerful, determined heroine, and I hope that only continues to be further cemented throughout the next two books in this series.

I enjoyed reading Ania and Jerome’s relationship, especially their moments of snarky banter. I did feel that their relationship progressed entirely too quickly, but due to the length of the book, it is understandable.

My only complaint is that I wish the book could have been longer so that we could have explored the characters some more and their relationship could have had a bit of a slower burn.

Regardless, I still would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a light and fun mystery romance. Given it’s short length, it’s perfect for anyone looking to pull themselves out of a slump.