Important things you need to know about The Frame-Up:

Pace: Fast. The storyline of the book takes place over ten days.

POV: 3rd person (from Dani’s POV).

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes involving emotional abuse (on and off page), blood (mostly off page), fire (on page), gaslighting (on page), abandonment (off page and was done to and by Dani), injury & injury detail (on page), toxic relationship (on and off page), grief (on page), sexual assault (off-page but described in general terms via a journal Dani found written by her great-great-grandmother), suicide (off-page but described in general terms in the same journal mentioned previously), and murder (off-page). If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Frame-Up. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Frame-Up is set in Lexington, Kentucky. A brief chapter at the beginning shows Dani doing business in St. Louis, Missouri.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Growing up, Dani was molded into an expert forger by her art thief mother. But, at the age of seventeen and desperate to get her mother out of that lifestyle and away from her shadowy business partner, Archer, Dani contacted the FBI and arranged for her mother to be arrested. Dani didn’t expect backlash from the people who helped raise her.

That all changed when Archer hunted her down and asked her to forge a painting and steal the original for him. He promised that she would be able to make things right with her mother and with her mother’s gang if she did it. It wouldn’t be easy, though. The painting he wants stolen is in a private collection about to be sold at auction. That means Dani and her accomplices would need to infiltrate the auction. Dani is counting on her ace up her sleeve, her magical talent, and the magical talents of most of the gang to get the painting and get out.

But, with the clock ticking and rival gangs casing the joint, Dani needs to work fast. There is something bothering her about Archer and his reason for wanting the painting. Also, her mother has miraculously decided to talk to her again and shows great interest in the job. Can Dani figure everything out before the heist?

Characters:

The main characters in The Frame-Up are Dani and her border collie, Sunflower. She was a sympathetic character with a heartbreaking backstory. The only thing I was even a little “meh” about was her wanting to have a relationship with Maria (her mother). But I will get into that during the actual review.

The secondary characters (Maria, Rabbit, Mia, Elliot, Brad, and Archer) did add some oomph to the storyline. But I didn’t feel the connection that I did with Dani. I was a little grumpy with Rabbit because of how she treated Dani, but having read the book, I understand why she acted that way. Just remember that things aren’t what they seem with Maria’s gang.

My review:

When I started reading The Frame-Up, I expected it to be a rom-com centered around an art heist. I did think that the premise was strange, but I have read books that featured a jewel thief, so I went with it. Well, the blurb wasn’t exactly right about the book. The Frame-Up is more of a fantasy chick-lit crime book with a touch of romance. And again, I didn’t mind it. But some people do, so I want to give everyone a heads-up.

The main storyline of The Frame-Up centers around Dani, Archer, Maria (her mother), a plan to steal a painting, and Dani reconnecting with the only family she knew. The storyline was well written, but it did lag in spots (mainly at the end when everything went to hell). I found some situations unbelievable, but since this was a fantasy, I went with it. In the end, I did enjoy the book.

I liked how the author took an art heist and made it magical. Except for Mia, everyone had magic powers. Dani could accurately reproduce any painting, her mother had the gift of persuasion, and Rabbit was a whiz on technology. I also liked how the author kept the highest, generally, in shades of gray. Yes, stealing and replacing a painting was awful, but Dani did it for a reason. She wanted to reconnect with Maria. Yes, lying and pretending to be security consultants was terrible, but again, Dani was doing it to get to the painting, and she helped stop heists before they happened.

I was disappointed that the author didn’t explain Dani’s ability. There was one scene where she was reproducing Archer’s painting, and that was it. Otherwise, it was all about the finger tingles and memory of Monet when she was a child.

I liked that the author kept Dani and Elliott’s romance in the background. With everything going on, if the romance were more up in your face, it would have ruined the book. I also liked being kept guessing if Dani would go with Elliott or with Brad for most of the book. That pseudotriangle did keep me on my feet.

Other than the heist, the main focus of this book was the relationship between Dani and her mother. Dani did what she thought was right and turned Maria in. All she wanted was for her mother to be out of Archer’s control and back to being a somewhat normal parent. But, as the book went on and the more Dani interacted with Maria, the more I saw that Maria wasn’t nice.

Archer is the big elephant in the room. He was very mysterious in his dealings with Maria and with Dani. It was in the scene where Dani saw the painting where I thought something was up. And there was. The journal scenes explained so much and explained why he wanted the painting. It also changed Dani’s mind about helping Archer. He got what he deserved in the end.

The end of the book is chaos. There was so much going on and so much revealed that my head spun from processing it all. I was left with a headache and feeling that the book hadn’t ended (if that makes sense).

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Gwenda Bond for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Frame-Up. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Ten years ago, Dani Poissant thought that she’d left her old art heist crew behind for good. Nowadays, she works as an itinerant con artist, traveling from town to town and finding easy marks, with a side of Robin Hood do-gooding along the way. Her only companion is her beloved dog Sunflower, also a stray like herself, who provides the muscle when she gets into sticky situations. It’s a lonely existence, but one she’s resigned herself to living.

That all changes when a mysterious figure shows up while she’s in the middle of cutting a deal. Archer is her estranged mother’s shadowy partner in crime, and he’s come with a proposition for her. If she steals a single painting from an upcoming auction, he’ll reconcile her with her mother, the notorious art thief Maria Poissant, who’s refused to speak to her own daughter since their epic falling out a decade prior:

QUOTE
Dani’s mother taught her well enough, that things that were too good to be true were always fakes, promises like this were fairy dust that dissolved when you flipped the lights on. Yet, in this dark bar, Dani felt hope in every beat of her heart.

She realized she wanted to say yes, for multiple reasons. Archer was a mystery, still, after all these years. This would give her a chance to pry, to solve it, to figure out who he was and what hold he had on her mother.

That wasn’t the most enticing part of his offer. She could hardly allow herself to contemplate it. But suppose he <i>could</i> close the abyss between her and her mother?
END QUOTE

So against her better judgment, she agrees. When she hears the conditions of the heist, her confidence sinks even further. The Fortress of Art is well known in artistic circles, as it’s rumored to be the most valuable private collection in the world. More intriguingly, it was jealously guarded by its owner, William Hackworth, who allowed no one except himself to view the contents. He’d constructed an elaborate security system to ensure this, one that consistently foiled even the most skilled art thieves, including the Poissant crew themselves.

With William’s demise, his only son and heir Brad is eager to get rid of the fortress’ contents, announcing an auction to dispose of the art within less than a fortnight. This has, of course, set the art world on fire with anticipation. Unsurprisingly, it’s also drawn the attention of criminals, who see a ripe opportunity for illicit profit, and the members of law enforcement hot on their trails.

As part of the operation, Archer introduces Dani to Brad as a security specialist. Sparks fly almost immediately between the undercover criminal and the charming billionaire, but Dani knows that that won’t be enough to carry off the audacious heist. She’s going to need her old crew back, as well as the magical abilities that made them the best art thieves in the world. She and her crew had once been so close that they’d been practically family, but they won’t let her return to the fold without a fight. How far will Dani go to win back their trust, when failure means the possibility of never regaining her mother’s love?

This is a juicy paranormal crime caper with plenty of family drama and a sweet little love triangle. My favorite parts were both the historical flashbacks and the musings on the ethics of the art market. Dani isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty in order to right injustices as a con artist, and has little sympathy for the wealthy people she robs:

QUOTE
Sometimes the art world got it right, recognized true genius, rewarded it, and sometimes other reasons and outcomes prevailed. There were a lot of broke geniuses. A lot of dead, valuable artists. And if they became famous while they were alive and had sold a painting for seventeen dollars when they were younger? The artists didn’t see another dime on that piece if it suddenly became worth seventeen million dollars and someone else sold it. That part of what [her crew] did always made sense to Dani. It was an ecosystem they were part of balancing.

No different than any other con. Or business.
END QUOTE

I always enjoy a book that reflects thoughtfully on the ethics and history of art, especially when it’s linked to a little mysticism, modern or otherwise. I was somewhat surprised that my favorite character wound up being Brad, especially given my weakness for found family narratives: I thought he was by far the most memorable and fleshed out member of this diverse cast. The ending of The Frame-Up does hint at sequels to come, so I hope we’ll be seeing him and Dani again in future novels.

I was so excited to read this book (art heist, magic, and romance, what else could I want?), but it didn't quite scratch the itch the way I wanted it to. Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed it, but I think there was a bit of an expectations mismatch and some elements I wished were more developed.

First of all, I think this book was marketed incorrectly. This is not a romance novel featuring a magical art heist. This is a magical art heist novel with a minor romance subplot. Though it's possible I made assumptions about the book based on Bond's past work. The romance wasn't quite giving what I wanted it to. I felt I was really missing the exploration of Elliot as a character and a lot of information about Dani and Elliot's past. I didn't quite get on board with their physical or emotional chemistry. One major caveat here being that I'm generally not a huge second chance romance fan.

I loved the art heist and magic portion of this book. Bond always does a fantastic job of incorporating history and historical details (real or fantasy) into her work and this was no exception. This book had a bit of a darker and grittier tone compared to some of her other work and read as either a thriller or mystery at some parts, which I enjoyed.

I did feel like there was a ton of information thrown at me at the very beginning that was a little difficult to absorb all at once. At the same time, there were a lot of pieces I wished were more fleshed out. There were a lot of really interesting supporting characters (Mia, Rabbit, etc.) that we didn't spend all that much time actually learning about on an interpersonal level.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but it didn't quite click in the way I wanted it to. Maybe I just really miss the "Not Your Average Hot Guy" duology and have been chasing that high ever since.

3 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Del Ray for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I usually love Gwenda Bond's books, however this one fell flat for me. I considered DNFing but I kept waiting for it to get more interesting, but it didn't. It was kind of slow, not much of it was exciting at all although it genuinely sounded good and I loved the cover. The "romance" aspect wasn't great at all. There was no witty banter or conversations that remotely made me smile or giggle while reading

A heist story with a crew that has magical abilities, what a great mashup of genres! Dani Poissant has been working cons since the fateful night she turned her mother, the infamous Maria Poissant, art thief extraordinaire, in to the FBI. She left home shortly after and has regretted it ever since. When a mysterious stranger shows up with the promise of reuniting Dani with her mother and her old crew if she’ll steal a painting for him, Dani is torn. She longs to go home. But the painting she is supposed to steal is locked in a super-secret collection that is better locked down than Fort Knox. And she’s not sure she trusts this stranger.
Gwenda Bond had me hooked from the start. I love heist stories. From assembling the crew to working out the weaknesses in security, to the inevitable twist, this story had the beats of the genre down pat, but added a fun new dimension by giving most of the crew magical powers. They were just enough to keep the story interesting, elevating the usual hijinx.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a chance to read an advance review copy.

Surprisingly this is my first Gwenda Bond read. Who doesn't love a heist novel??? I enjoyed the magical twist to the narrative. If I had one criticism, it felt like the writing and pacing lagged a bit in the middle for me but overall a fun read.

Starting out the book had GREAT set up, but the execution was just flat. I had a hard time keeping my attention.

I really liked this magical romance/thriller about a group of art thieves. After growing up with a notorious thief as her mother, Dani uses her magic for good, she’s an expert forger who helps people get what they’re owed. When a mysterious man from her past named Archer appears, she’s skeptical about his motives.
When Dani was a teenager, she misguidedly turned her mother and her crew into the FBI. Now her mother is in prison and they’re estranged. Archer wants her to steal a certain painting in a collection housed in “the fortress”. In exchange, he’ll reconcile her and her mother.
The Fortress is basically impossible to steal from, and Dani gets the old crew back together to do the job, including her first love, Elliot. When she gets in as a security consultant, she sees the painting and immediately knows something is off. It seems almost alive?
A fast moving plot and quirky characters make this worth reading, 4.5 stars.
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I went into this story intrigued by the concept of a female con artist with magic powers, but unfortunately I think the problem with this story is that it was trying to be too many things at once.

I think this story has so much potential to be really good, but in my opinion the story does not need a romance. Just focus on the found family and her pulling of the biggest con of her life.

The romance needed a little more focus for us as readers to become invested. We barely got much interaction between Dani and Elliot, and then there was a love triangle that didn't even feel like one other than the fact that Elliot was so jealous.

I love Romance but this is one I could not get on board with. I think if you take all that out add some more world building and make it a little longer, it would have been a really interesting story.

I loved the found family and Sunflower and finding out more about the mother and Dani's history.

Thank you Netgalley for approving this Arc, in exchange these are my honest thoughts on this book.

A unique story line with a cast of characters that fit a magic filled art heist. Gwenda Bond set up a drama accented by some fun events and snarky word play. Enjoyable and entertaining. If you are looking for a light hearted "different" story, try this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

Who doesn’t love a heist? This was a fun read. Magic being part of the plot was a little off putting at first, but it worked out to serve the story decently. Of course, the real thief was Sunflower, who stole the show. The love between Dani and her dog was so relatable to any dog mom. I would have loved to have seen more between Dani and Elliot. Even the back story was limited, so there wasn’t really any real chemistry on page for me. It would have been more interesting for me if there wasn’t the love triangle trope and instead more development between them finding their way back to each other.

🖼️Book Review🖼️
The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond
Publication Date: 02/13/2024
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was my first fantasy read in several years, and the book was good. I will definitely reread in the future, and I guarantee my rating will go up.

The Frame-Up features a world where magic is a secret, and most use their magic to run con jobs. Danielle “Dani” Poissant was once part of this life, until she was convinced to turn in her mother to the FBI ten years ago. She’s pulled back into that world after a visit from a man named Archer, who asks her to steal a painting of himself, offering a reunion with her mother. The catch: Dani and their old team only have a little over a week to pull off the heist.

As the deadline inches closer, twists and turns appear from thin air with a dramatic ending with possible hints of a sequel if not a series (here’s hoping)!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Gwenda Bond, and @NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

#TheFrameUp:⁣
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Thank you so much @delreybooks and @prhaudio partner for my gifted copies!⁣
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The Frame-Up is my third Gwenda Bond book, and definitely was fun. I loved the idea of a grand heist, but make it ✨magic ✨. Dani was a really fun character and I loved getting to know her (but let’s be honest I just wanted to give Sunflower, the dog, the biggest boops) ⁣
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I definitely feel like we could have shaved about 100 pages off. The middle lulled in the “getting ready” for the heist. There are things we needed to know to get ready, but it could have been more of a checklist then just going through 4-2 days out. I liked the prep work, but do think it could have been condensed. ⁣
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The audio was wonderful! Shannon McManus is such a wonderful reader and definitely got me through the book. I loved how they were able to add the snark from Dani in such an effortless way.⁣
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Overall, a middle of the road read for me. I can’t wait to see what Gwenda Bond conjures up next! The Frame-Up is out today, 2/13! ⁣
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QOTD: Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. If you could be gifted one gift (material or not) what would it be and why is it bookish?

When I first read the premise of this book I was intrigued and excited. I can't tell you how much I love any plot where a heist is involved. The planning, the getting the gang together, and then pulling it off will legitimately never get old for me. Add in the fact that it's an art heist and I couldn't contain my excitement. I think, in the end, I hyped myself up too much and was a little let down.

I went into this thinking it was going to be a fun adventure-filled magical heist with some romance thrown in but it ended up being quite a bit heavier than anticipated and just wasn't what I was expecting. There were a lot of different plot lines that got a little confusing and there were mysteries and layers to the story that felt distracting instead of necessary to the story.

Overall, I had a good time reading this, it just wasn't my personal favorite since I was expecting something else from the description.

I love a good heist with romance. The story was entertaining, at times I was too overwhelmed with the characters, there were many characters being introduced or having their own story.

2.5 rounded up

A wonderful idea, heist combined with magic... unfortunately the execution perhaps needed a couple more drafts. The magic element did not seem well thought out, and the characters were rather one-dimensional, which made the pace drag for a reader, such as me, who likes character-driven narrative. A heist story ought to crackle along at high intensity--but that's if we are immersed in the characters and rooting for their success. Perhaps other readers will love it, but I had trouble finishing it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an electronic ARC for me to review.

The premise for this book sounded wonderful on paper! Magic, familiar connection, a heist… however it never seemed to keep my attention for too long and I didn’t feel any attachment to the plot or the characters. The writing felt a little stilted and the picture didn’t get of the page, but I can see how this would be a fun read for others. I’m glad to have read it and expired the story once, but this wouldn’t be a book I would reach for again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an e-ARC of The Frame-Up in exchange for an honest review!

The Frame-Up has a great premise, but the characters unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. The story's pacing also felt slightly off, moving too quickly at the beginning and then slowing down throughout the book, which put me in a bit of a slump while reading. That said, I enjoyed the plot and thought the magic element was an interesting addition to a classic heist story!

Overall, a decent heist novel. Dani Poissant had been part of an Art heist crew run by her mother. All of the members of the crew had some sort of magical powers. Dani’s power was the ability to paint forgeries that could not be detected. At seventeen, she helped the FBI capture her mother and she has been on her own for ten years. She is approached by the mysterious Archer, to commit one more heist with a promise to get her mother, and old life back. Archer ensures that she is put in charge of security for the collection that has the painting he wants stolen. Dani needs to get the old crew back together to pull off the heist, but they are still holding a grudge. The heist part of this book worked for me. What didn’t work was the love triangle between Dani and Elliot, the ex that abandoned her, and Brad the wealthy owner of the art collection. If you enjoy a fun heist novel, you will enjoy this, but if you are looking for a good romance, you may be disappointed. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Dani Poissant's mother is the world's most famous art thief, using magic to get the job done. As a teen, Dani turned her mother over to the FBI. Now an adult, Dani is approached for a job only her mother and the rest of the crew could pull off, and she hopes this can help her reconcile with her mother and the rest of the old gang. Even with magic, it's an impossible heist, especially when she's given just a week to do it and more stakes than she ever knew.

Magic in this world is the subtle, manipulative kind. Dani's mother Maria could persuade anyone to do what she wanted, and Dani can paint anything that she sees and convince people it's the original if she has the same age material to work with. Ten years after turning in her mother, Dani still churns with guilt over turning in her mother to the FBI. The crew she ran with had been like family and froze her out, so it takes Maria's work to get them to help Dani. Maria wants the job to go through, as her benefactor Archer wanted a particular painting stolen. He can't touch it directly, Maria is in prison, so Dani will have to do. The short timeline has many complications, and Dani learns exactly what is at stake and why the painting is so important.

I enjoyed the touch of the supernatural in the heist story, as well as glimmers of second-chance romance and a found family coming back together. I liked Dani and her wonderful dog Sunflower, and cheered on her successes over the course of the novel. It was such a fun book, I had to keep going to find out what happened next.