My goodness! There’s just so much to love in a Charish Reid book! Something’s that I’ve grown to love reading her works is how she writes older characters. You would think older characters have it all figured out, but no they prove that it’s never too late in life to take a chance and that’s so powerful! She also writes the best witty banter! I always smile when reading the pickup lines. Let’s not even get started on the tension?!! It is HOT between these two and I love the Mr. And Mrs. Smith vibe- it’s like opposites attract, enemies vibe with a grumpy sunshine moments and I’m here for it! Love love loved this!

I did not really enjoy this title. It felt like one i might enjoy with the audiobook however when I was currently reading I couldn't get past the tense and the switch between characters. I found myself too confused to want to continue.

I loved this book! It had just the right amount of action and romance and female relationships. I loved all of the characters, and the plot was super fun and enjoyable. The writer's style is very clean and straight to the point. My only complaint is that the beginning took me a while to get invested, but once I was invested, I was hooked.

"Jewel Me Twice" by Charish Reid is a delightful heist romance that revolves around two old lovers who come together once again to pull off a job. Celeste and Magnus haven't met since their last job, which didn't go well. Although there is minimal beef between them, the confused feelings still exist. They never talked about anything personal or were technically in a relationship. So, while quickly establishing a rapport, they hesitate to indulge in true intimacy. This book is an excellent recommendation for anyone looking for a light and fun contemporary romance featuring racially diverse characters with a touch of heat.

Thank you to Cherish Reid, NetGalley, and Canary Street Press for providing me with an advanced copy.

“Jewel Me Twice” is on sale July 23 2024.

Celeste and Mags are our FMC and MMC and are old partners in a group of thieves. When Celeste is caught red handed by her former partner a tale untwists unravelling their old love for eachother along with another adventure to go one! Adventure rom com say no more!!!

2.65⭐️


Celeste y Magnus eran parte de un grupo que robaba "tesoros", ellos tenían una relación hasta él le dio un ultimátum sobre que debía de dejar de ponerse en peligro, pero ella no lo escucho, entonces abandono el grupo y no se volvieron a ver. 5 años después la jefa/mentora del grupo muere, todos se reunieron para darle el adiós y se llevaron la sorpresa de que les dejó instrucciones para la búsqueda de un tesoro.

Fue interesante, pero le faltó más desarrollo al romance.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for and honest review.

Fun! Spicy! Thrilling! Great story!

I really enjoyed getting into this story although it started slow for me, but after a few chapters I could see the appeal.

Magnus and Celeste, the MMC & FMC were part of a small crew of thieves, also lovers and haven't seen each other in 5 years. They are thrust back together and the fun begins!

I loved the chemistry, the spice and the growth Mags and Celeste went through together. Also the crew was a close family and relied on each other not only to ensure the job went good but also emotionally.

Second chance romance
Mature main characters
Little bit of thrill
Art heist

What's not to love!

Rating: 3.5

I was recently introduced to Charish Reid after reading Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up (absolutely loved 😍). I was super excited to pick up this second chance romance with an interesting backdrop for the plot.

Mangus + Celeste navigate a possible second chance while balancing new adventures, old friends, grief and self discovery. The backdrop for this "theif-cute" is a series of heists put together by the FMC + MMC's mutual mentor.

Pros:
- I really enjoy Charish writing style! She has a good flow without things feeling too wordy
- I love love that the main characters are older. I can only read about a 20yo main character so many times lol 🥴 Both Celeste and Mangus are in their 30s/40s.
- We love good representation 👏🏽 This is an interracial couple, but also Charish is good with mental health and physical disability representation
- the found/chosen family in the book was a plus! I really enjoyed the side characters and hope that some of them get their own book!
- THE SPICE: okay Charish I seeee yooouuu! Lol this is where the romance truly felt real to me, Charish knoooows how to write a spicy scene and we love her for that!


Cons:
- at times the romance and the heists felt like two separate plots that's just so happened to occur at the same time.
- I wanted there to be a bit more character development. By the middle of the had to push myself to finish their story- I wasn't as invested in Celeste and Mangus as characters as I wanted to be. I found some parts to be a little repetitive
- I was a little confused about their break up in the first place? I get they were both stubborn (this was repeated 1000 times) but something about their initial story didn't sit well with me lol especially for them both to have been in their 30s at the time.

Overall if you like second chance romances with a cute couple and an interesting side plot (with some spice and mental health representation) please pick this up!

Thank you NetGallery for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t know what it was, but this book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t really feel/believe the emotional or romantic connection between the two protagonists. I wish I enjoyed this book more since it has an interesting concept, but it missed the mark for me.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars

Love can catch you red-handed.

He was her partner—both in crime and between the sheets. It’s been five years since professional thief Celeste St. Pierre laid eyes on Magnus Larsson. These days, she runs a Manhattan antique store, but her talent for stealing beautiful, shiny things hasn’t faded. And as a chance reunion over a locked safe proves, neither has the heat between her and the gorgeous, ice-cool Magnus.

For Magnus, only one thing beats the thrill of getting away with robbery—and that’s the woman he’s tried hard to forget. Their last job together ended in disaster. But if they’re going to honor their mentor’s last wishes to pull off the theft of the century, they’ll have to temporarily put their grudges behind them.

Crisscrossing Europe on a real-life treasure hunt, Celeste and Magnus quickly rediscover how well they work together. The higher the stakes, the hotter the sexual tension. But one slipup and it won’t be only jewels on the line, but a future that, just maybe, has been the ultimate prize all along…

My Take:
Regina Black, author of "The Art of Scandal" said it best. This book is “A steamy heist thrill ride I never wanted to end. The combustive chemistry between Celeste and Magnus kept me turning the pages of this witty, second-chance love story.”

So what if the Brand and Andy from "The Goonies" grew up to be adventurous intellectuals in the vein of Indiana Jones and reunited with their Goonies crew for one last heist? And, along the way, they rekindle their romance? This is a glimpse of what we got here-but diverse! The crew was multi-generational, multi-racial, and had queer members. The world Reid built was realistic and fanciful: I could have spent more time in it and have hopes for a second book about a Philly job. If you read and enjoyed "Diamond Doris" and "Thieves Gambit," pick this one up when it publishes on July 23, 2024.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

I loved Magnus and Celeste. I do wish we got more of a slow burn back into their reconnection with each other. The best parts of the book are when Magnus and Celeste are on heists together and are annoying each other. It would be so fun to have a prequel where we see how this relationship started.

What a fun read!

Two international jewel thieves whose partnership and relationship ended after a heist gone wrong are thrown together for one last job after their shared mentor passes away.

I really enjoyed this one.

- The characters felt nuanced, fun, and real. Magnus and Celeste have instant chemistry and their banter is fun and keeps you wanting more. But outside of the romance, there are some great side characters that round out this rag tag team. I love that they each have their own demons, their own redemption arcs, but always find their way back to each other and their eyes on the prize. Yes, the romance works, but the found family is just as great.

- The plot. I enjoyed how this all unfolds! The gang reuniting unexpectedly. The scavenger hunt/heist set up by the mysterious mentor. The parallels between past and present. The different locations, jobs, and shenanigans throughout. It all kept the plot and pace moving and kept me fully engaged.

-The spice! I wasn't expecting this one to be so spicy, but I'm not complaining! The steamier scenes were creative and Magnus and Celeste will they or won't they is so fun to read! And I love how at first it's physical, but they've grown in their years apart and work through what it means to truly be serious.

This one is no doubt a fun, easy read to pick up! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

Read For:
- Thieves w/ Day Jobs
- One Last Big Heist
- Second Chance Romance
- Older MCs (40s)
- Funny w/ a bit of Trauma
- Found Family
- SPICE!

I downloaded this thinking a heist plot starring a crew of clever thieves with a messy past and promises of some (steamy) romance would be a super fun 5-star read, but I couldn’t stand any of the characters and was bored out of my mind. DNF at 50%.

tl;dr
A couple of fun heists act as the backdrop for a spicy second chance romance.

Thoughts
Make no mistake - this book is about the relationship, and it knows it. Celeste and Magnus are adults. Their last time together ended poorly, but the spark never left. In fact, it probably turned into a flame during the years apart. This thing is packed with sexual tension, steamy glances across the room, and plenty of spice. They steal gems and it's sexy. They roleplay (for the job, of course) and it's sexy. They have sex and that is also sexy. The whole thing is extremely sexy, and if you're looking for a steamy good time, look no further. Supporting cast are all varied and fun. Doris, the deceased mentor is somehow the strongest personality of them all, and her story shines through her letters and diary entries as our MCs navigate their current heists. The plot itself is straightforward and fast-paced; there are a handful of heists, all with minor complications and major payoffs, and all feeding into the relationship between Celeste and Magnus. It's also a standalone - no cliffhangers to worry about - but with just enough space that the other characters might get up to shenanigans at a later date.

I liked this book but it was a mediocre experience. I thought it was going to be like her first book but it just fell flat for me. I appreciated that it was an older couple with real trust issues but it just felt very drawn out and it took a long time for me to get into it.

If you are an Oceans (movie) franchise girlie like me, you will completely love this! But it centers a black female MC and several side characters of color as well, which is a welcome change from Oceans. The spice is spicy as h*ll (she’s in charge outside the bedroom and brats him a good bit, then he’s IN CHARGE inside the bedroom). We love to see a second chance romance, and in this case we find both MCs learning to value love over their careers. The writing is gorgeous, especially describing their opulent gala attire and Magnus’ view of Celeste in general. This is definitely a romance, but the plot is more forward than the romance at times, which works well for the suspenseful heist vibe. I would love to see more from this author, and I’d absolutely read Bea and Santi’s story!

This romance is a nice foray into a new genre of romance: the heist. It’s a fun premise and takes you along with the MCs on a second chance romance adventure. I thought there were slow moments or moments that were not allowing me to connect to the characters but overall would recommend.

This was a fun second chance romance mixed with an exhilarating heist! As someone who grew up reading Ally Carter and a romance reader now, I ate this up! The heist plot was great but I wanted a bit more from the romance

The tension and suspense of this heist centered story left me completely on the edge of my seat. You might think that is because of the heist but it was really because of Magnus and Celeste. Charish Reid knows how to write badass women who appreciate a man but do not need them. The chosen family represented truly felt honest. They would do anything for one another but weren’t afraid to challenge each other either.
She has become an author that I will automatically pick up their book after finishing this.

thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC in exchange for a honest review.

After five years apart, Celeste St Pierre runs into her old partner, Magnus Larsson, as they both try to steal the same tiara. Celeste now runs an antiques store and Magnus still teaches at university. When they both get letters that their mentor has passed on and she wants the old group to do one last heist, they must team up with Santiago and Lawrence to complete their mission. Can Celeste and Magnus move past the anger and move forward to complete their mission?

I loved the idea of this book so much and I found Celeste and her assistant Beatrice to be fun and complex. I really did not understand what Celeste saw in Magnus as he got on my nerves. Also, I feel like the heist did not have enough detail to it. It seemed almost inconsequential even though it was the whole point of their reunion.