Cover Image: Thief and the Noble

Thief and the Noble

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I loved this Robin Hood inspired retelling. I loved that it was set in the heart of London society. Lady Marian is stubborn, courageous and spunky. Lord Huningdon A.K.A Robin Loxley is elusive, smart, witty and so much fun. I loved his character. I really loved the reasons they had in choosing from whom to steal. This book is full of danger, mystery, romance and good clean fun.

Was this review helpful?

Most of my favorite Regency books were published by Covenant Communications, so I had to read this Regency retelling of the Robin Hood legend. The first few chapters were interesting, and the author did a good job setting the mystery. I also applaud her for including her insights about the greedy upper echelon folks, staying true to the Robin Hood tale. However, the idea of a “noble” thief reminds me of a story I read set in the Victorian Era. Unfortunately, I want to skip most of the chapters, so I give this book a 1.75 star.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me an honest review of this book.

Was this review helpful?

this retelling, inspired by novel is SO fun! It has a bit of action, mystery, romance, jealousy, family, healing, danger, laughter, and all the other things you want in a book. Like a beautiful cover and a ball. As I've said before, all regencies should have a ball.
A clean, entertaining book that I would and will happily recommend.

Was this review helpful?

A regency Robin Hood tale. Lady Marian wants to do more with her life, help the poor and support them. When she encounters a man stealing from the rich to provide for those who don’t have, she feels compelled to be a part of it. She doesn’t realize the danger to herself but mostly to her heart.

I enjoyed this story and the relationships woven between the main and side characters, if you enjoy regency mysteries, this one will be for you!

Was this review helpful?

I love Robin Hood stories! What's not to like about someone who is trying to right the injustices of society? This one is a Regency retelling of Robin Hood with a twist. Lady Marian is not happy with the injustices either and tries to find ways to help the poor. Of course she's going to run into another thief, Robin. These two were so fun together. I enjoyed their banter and the sweet tension between them. I think Robin was a little irritated with Marian and her not holding back wanting to help. When she decides to do something, she jumps right in. It was pretty fun. She just needs a little help in refining her methods, then everything will be right as rain.

Except they better watch out for the copycat thief who is causing trouble for them. Oh it was fun trying to guess who it could be. I figured it out but will you be able to? Or will you be pretty surprised at the end when it all comes together and there's the big reveal?

Marian and Robin go the rounds in trying to teach those who have been cruel to others. In trying to protect the poor, they should have been trying to protect their hearts. Their little band can do many great things but they'll have to be careful if they want to come out of their escapades and close encounters with the copycat alive. Duh duh duhhhhhh!!!!

Content: Clean. There are some mild moments of peril but nothing graphic. Nothing further than some kisses. A couple mild innuendos coming from a despicable character (really an inconsequential character). Well written and enjoyable!

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Was this review helpful?

Oh my goodness.

The legend of Robin Hood has always had my heart. I've seen the BBC series more times than I am willing to admit to and yet every time I do I am enthralled and inspired by the heroism, the determination and the loyalty of the men and women in the story.

This take on the classic tale was amusing, adventurous, and a delight to read.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy of a wonderful story!

Was this review helpful?

Wow, that was a wild ride and I wasn’t expecting it. I have to say it was pretty awesome though. It was really interesting and really, really hard to put down! Not to mention that plot twist towards the end that kind of stopped time for me for a bit. I was seriously not sure what to expect next.
This was such a cool, historical Robinhood retelling. I’ve not read many quite like it.

I liked the characters! Marian and Robin were both really fun and likable characters. Their adventures together were so much fun to read about. I was always on the edge of my seat wondering if they were going to get caught. There were moments I couldn’t read quick enough. As for the two together, it was fun because first they became friends and then they fell for each other. I had a really fun time with their banter! It was more slow-burn and I really liked that. I loved all the little nicknames Rob gave Marian. It was really cute! ;)
I loved Will and John soo much! They were such great side characters!

The plot was fun and kept my attention the whole time. There was a lot of action which kept me flipping kindle pages until I was finished. And again, that one plot twist made me a little crazy for a chapter or two.😅 I was not okay.
Only thing I might complain about would be I don’t know exactly how I feel about the stealing part of it. I really like their desire to help the poor but sometimes I felt like they did some of the stealing to get back at the rich people who they didn’t like.

But overall, I quite enjoyed Thief and the Noble! It was clean, fun, and really exciting. It was easy to get lost in!

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

An interesting retelling of Robin Hood and Lady Marian. Wherein Robin is trying to help the poor during Regency time and a Lady who does not feel she belongs in society. And a chance encounter of both leads them to help each other to help those in need the best they can. But there’s a twist, there is someone out there who’s also a thief but not for the good.

Things I like about the story: Retelling of Robin Hood, Lady Marian’s fighting spirit, and the early interaction of both main characters.

Things I don’t care for: Inconsistent portrayal of Robin (although it was a bit addressed at the later chapter of the book), story about Mr. Gisbourne (it is not as much as cohesive as I would’ve liked), Lady Marian’s reconciliation with her parents (it’s too abrupt for me, I was hoping there’s a confrontation before the last few chapters of the story), and it’s a bit modern feel to me rather than the era it’s portraying (though I appreciate how the author tried to use words and such to represent the regency era).

Overall, I’ll give this a 2.5. I would recommend this book for those who like Robin Hood’s story set in a different era. And a bit of a banner between ML and FL.

Got this from Netgalley, courtesy of Covenant Communications (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

"Thief and the Noble" is a Regency romance set in London. While I realized it'd be part fantasy, it didn't really fit in the Regency period. Marian and Robin obviously didn't follow conventional manners, but no one really did. For example, a bad guy groped Marian's backside during a waltz at a ball and her parents did nothing. Marian was told several times that women couldn't do anything to help the poor (huh?), so she resorted to robbing people. Starting with shoplifting because....well, even she finally realized that wasn't a rich person. And she stuffed the ribbon into her bodice (of all places) in a crowded store, yet no one noticed? Hm.

I was disappointed that Robin's reasons for robbing the rich were about his ego and punishing people he didn't like. He'd do the robbery and hand the jewels and money off to someone else to sell and give to the poor, so he wasn't directly involved with helping the poor. When Robin inherited a title and wealth, he decided helping his own tenants and pushing to change laws were not enough: he wanted to be the savior of all the poor by punishing the snobbish rich! Yet when the copycat stole to punish people for how they treated a certain person, he had to be stopped as a bad guy.

Finally, Marian was inept, foolish, quick to anger and take insult (especially against Robin), and stubborn about getting her way even if it put others in danger. I didn't really like her. But Robin viewed her quick temper as a desirable trait, and each made the other "feel whole." There was no sex or bad language, but obviously this tale didn't appeal to me.

Was this review helpful?

I am usually fond of Regency books published by Covenant Communications but this one really didn't convince me. A naïve and annoying heroine, an elusive and irrational hero, and supporting characters that were not well developed... I didn't enjoy the protagonists at all, and didn't understand where the book was going, it was too messy. I skipped half the book to read the final chapter and didn't find the quality of the story much improved, so I stopped there. I did enjoy the idea behind "The Thief and the Noble", a Regency retelling of the Robin Hood legend - which I am not very familiar with - but the way it was constructed and written just wasn't for me.

Was this review helpful?

I've read a plethora of Regency romances, and none have been a retelling of "Robin Hood". The unique premise here features Robert Loxley, the Earl of Huntington as Robin and Lady Marian Russell as his true love Maid Marian.

There have been countless versions of Robin's tale; most are unfamiliar to me. In modern parlance, Robin can be termed a Social Justice Warrior, although his methods are illegal. Marian is of like mind, although she is incredibly incompetent, at least at first. Her initial attempt at lock-picking is rather humorous.

Other characters are "borrowed" from the legend, as well. There's a villain, and while the identity was apparent to me, I found this person's motivations somewhat confusing. Regardless, this is a clever story. Many Regency norms are disregarded; this retelling wouldn't work otherwise.

I enjoyed this well-edited and clean novel. Dana LeCheminant is a new author for me and I hope she pens more Regency tales. 3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this entertaining book.

Was this review helpful?

This book was a cute retelling of Robin Hood! If you are familiar with the original story, it will be easy to determine who the villain is, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. I loved how the author incorporated all of the main characters from the original story and re-imagined them in clever ways.

At times, it was hard for me to connect with the main characters, as they are robbing people. However, the authors did a good job of providing justifications for their actions, even if I would still morally disagree with them in real life. I didn't like how Robin teased Marian in the beginning by pretending he was going to kiss her, etc. as I felt it pushed some boundaries of his character. At times, their relationship was immature and not developed, but there were other times where I felt that they connected well and made sense together.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the original Robin Hood story or who likes a quick clean romance read with characters outside of the norm for that genre.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

This was an absolute delight! What a fun retelling of Robin Hood. The plot was completely captivating and well-developed. The characters were wonderfully charming. This is one I'll return to again and again. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Was this review helpful?

Such a fun play on Robinhood. I really enjoyed this book and felt it was well written. Robin, The Elusive Earl, grew up without much and wants to help the poor by taking from the wealthy. Lady Marian also wants to make a difference and help those less fortunate than her. Their chance encounter becomes the start of a new friendship.. and maybe more.
#netgalley #thiefandthenoble

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely enjoyed this story! What a great retelling of Robin Hood! I loved seeing all the familiar names, but with a regency flair and a new story.

Lady Marion Russell, is set to become the smash of the season. The only daughter of a marquess, she feels trapped by her standing in society and desperate to help those who are less fortunate. One night, while dressing as a bar maid, she meet the thief, Robin. Confused by her attraction to him, she is intrigued but his goodness, stealing from the high in society to help the low in society. She wants to learn from him and in seeking him out, she learns his real identity, the illustrious Lord Robert "Robin" Huntington.
Robin grew up poor. He was thrown into the earldom with the death of his brother. All he ever wanted to do was help others. But trying to keep his secret identity quiet has become difficult, especially with the lovely Lady Marion asking questions and seeking his advise on his activities.

This is a compelling, fast paced, fin retelling of the story of Robin Hood. Such a great read!

Was this review helpful?

This was a different read, a regency take on Robin Hood. The premise is interesting, a nobleman stealing to help the poor, a young woman wanting to make a difference.
I found the book decently written for a new author. I honestly struggled more with the moral issues of robbing one person to help another. It was okay for them to rob nobility but not for others to rib. For that reason I will only give it 3 stars. I look forward to try the author again, hopefully with a more moral story line.

Was this review helpful?

Why haven't I read a regency Robin Hood before? The premise was brilliant! I WANT MORE PLEASE AND THANK YOU. The plot was great. Loved Robin and Marian and John and Will. Their friendships/dynamics were a lot of fun. What I *didn't* realize when I requested this from netgalley was that it's published by a religiously oriented publisher. There's nothing wrong with that, excepting that I have certain expectations of romance novels. This one wasn't preachy, though the several "yup, this was marketed to a very specific demographic" lines felt intensely out of place. And the budding romance often felt like it was between middle-school kids--not just in action but in utterly unfathomable mental jumps the characters made. My other complaint is that the twist at the end was...not great. It was rushed and I never believed it. I see why it was done and what was intended, I just don't think it was executed in the most convincing way. Regardless, I don't regret my time reading this book. As I said, the premise was amazing.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars
Happy sigh, this was just as good as I had hoped. I have been in a bit of a reading slump so this book took me longer to read, but it was still super sweet and fun. The Thief and the Noble is Dana LeCheminat’s first historical fiction and it was just a lovely book! The Noble and the Thief is a historical fiction retelling of Robin Hood, I mean how cool is that?
Marian was so fun! I loved her spunk and her kindness, she wanted to help those around her. I loved reading about Marian as she tried to figure out how to help those around her, she was a lady and she knew that she had much. However Marian was struggling to figure out how to help the less fortunate when she bumps into a thief, Robin. It was so cool to read about Marian learning more about herself and learning to stand up for those around her. Marian was an awesome character and I just loved her growth throughout the book.
Robin was a sweetheart, he was the perfect hero. He was kind, but he was also kind of standoffish. I loved his relationship with his family and with Marian. He put up this facade to those around him but he let Marian inside of his walls. Robin was a thief, and yet there was more to him than met the eye. I loved learning more about Robin and his values, he had to learn to let people into his heart and to not close himself off.
Marian and Robin were lovely together, I really enjoyed their interactions. It was a lot of fun to read about them together. I also adored Robin’s sister and Marian’s cousin Will. The side characters were lovely additions to the story. The plot was very interesting and I didn’t know what was going to happen. There were a few twists and turns and I couldn’t put the book down.
The Thief and the Noble is definitely a must read! It was just as good as LeCheminant contemporary books! I would totally recommend The Thief and the Noble! The Thief and the Noble is a clean historical fiction retelling of Robin Hood.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Was this review helpful?

What if Robin Hood was in London instead of Sherwood Forest?
A new telling of the Robin Hood story with some fun twists. This book starts off slow but is well worth continuing on as it becomes more interesting with each chapter until you won’t want to put it down. This story has Robin as an earl solely because an estranged uncle had died leaving Robin to inherit. Raised in poor circumstances after his father died when Robin was eight, he has seen the good the peers and wealthy can do as well as the bad, such as mistreatment of the lower class or poor. Now a peer himself, Robin sets out to bring more equity by robbing the uncaring rich to help the poor. In a chance meeting at a tavern Lady Marion meets Robin when she is masquerading as a serving girl while he is in his disguise as a thief. Not recognizing him for who he really is until later, Lady Marion then determines that she will join Robin in righting the wrongs of London. Mix in a protective cousin of Marion’s, a sister and mother of Robin’s, and a copycat thief who seems to strike without reason and you have a fun book with lots of twists and turns that will keep you wondering what will come next. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was an excellent Robin Hood retelling set in Regency/Victorian times. I loved how bold Marians character was, the slow build of romance, and the action. I kept waiting for the sherriff of Nottingham to appear but he did not make it into this book. Fantastic novel!!!

Was this review helpful?