“A marvelous opposites attract romance!” – The Genre Minx Book Reviews“A fun, hot and dare I say ‘delicious’ love story.” – Kanyon MK“An action packed adventure from page one.” – Moohnshine’s CornerDon’t miss this laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers romance that’s How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days meets White Collar with a dash of The Thomas Crown Affair thrown in!All Jolene Carter has ever wanted is a … Days meets White Collar with a dash of The Thomas Crown Affair thrown in!
All Jolene Carter has ever wanted is a bakery of her own. There’s only one problem. Her father, Robert Carter, is a world-renowned art thief and she’s, well, sort of his protégé. But he’s promised her this next job in New York will be their last, and she won’t let anyone get in the way of her dreams…especially not the distractingly delicious FBI agent hot on her tail.
Agent Nate Parker has been on the Robert Carter case for years, and if rumors of the aging criminal’s retirement are true, this might be his last chance to nail him. With the legacy of his late father in the back of his mind, the stakes are more personal than anyone realizes. He won’t let anything stand in the way of justice…especially not the red-headed vixen who keeps giving him the slip.
He’s a cop who’d never bend. She’s a con who’ll never break. But all’s fair in love and larceny…
**To Catch a Thief is a romantic comedy series that’s one part humorous and one part heartfelt, with a dash of adventure, a hint of criminal activity, and a whole heap of fun! Each book is a standalone romance with a HEA.
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Jolene Carter is the daughter of a wanted art thief. She helps her father with her expert hacking capabilities, but her dream is to escape her life and open a bakery. That dream could come true with this last job. Freedom. She can see it on the horizon. One last job. Her father promised. But will he keep his promise?
Nate Parker is a FBI agent for the organized crime division. His assignment is Jolene Carter’s father. The pressure is on since word on the street is he is about to pull his last job and go underground into retirement. There is so much riding on this bust. Nothing will get in his way. Not even his target’s hot fiery red-headed vixen daughter.
This author knew what she was doing when she created these characters. Nate and Jolene are awesome characters. Together they are fun and exciting. I love the cat and mouse game that they play. Their chemistry is off the charts. The circle each other and throw jabs at one another like it is second nature.
I freaking loved this book. It was an action packed adventure from page one. Kind of reminded me of the Fox and O’Hare series by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. This story had it all. It had great characters and a well laid out plot. The story flowed smooth and was never rushed. It is a page turner for sure. It will grab your attention and won’t let go. I love how the book has a dangerous thrill to it. Made for a very exciting read. The book even ended on a great note leaving you to wonder what is next.
Overall this book was amazing. I love how the romance and hotness factor is there without being too dirty. It was the perfect blend of thrills, chills and romance. If you like a good thief vs hot FBI agent, then this book is all you. I guarantee you will enjoy every minute of the cat and mouse game.
Such a cute book! I loved the chemistry between Jo & Nate. Watching Jo mess with Nate was so hilarious! This was my first book by Kay Marie and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t want to put it down! 5 stars!!
Short review. (KU) A good cat and mouse romance. I enjoyed the banter between Jo and Nate as the both tried to push the others buttons and get them to let something slip. Likable side characters and interesting premise. My only complaint is that I felt Jo and Nate falling in love happen to quick maybe if it has been a few weeks instead of a week, it would have been a little bit more believable that they would risk so much for each other.
This book was a delightful, rather light and funny, but still somehow suspenseful romance tale about two very unlikely candidates for a relationship who somehow just click with one another.
When first they meet, Nate is such a stickler for the rules and proper procedure and all of that. He doesn’t seem as though he’d even be able to contemplate how to break the rules. He even keeps his white shirt buttoned all the way up… while on a boat, supposedly fishing… in the Bahamas. Nate has a traumatic past which we only very slowly begin to learn about as the story progresses, which very much explains his dedication to the job and obsession with apprehending his latest targets.
Jo on the other hand, is a total free spirit, not easily contained or directed by anyone, even herself. She does a lot of things that seem rather foolhardy, maybe even dangerous for her. Although many of them do prove to be very calculated acts of subterfuge. Basically, Jo and her little gang are in a league way above the field where the FBI agents are playing. Unfortunately, they are also interacting with players from the Russian Mafia that Jo was totally unaware of prior to the events of this book.
Jo seems to know just how to push all of Nate’s buttons to get a rise out of him. And eventually she works her way underneath his skin enough to pull him a bit out of his oppressive shell. In just a short time, they develop a genuine friendship, in addition to the intense physical attraction that they have for each other. They actually have a lot more in common – instances of childhood trauma – than either would have thought. But at the end of the day, he is still a law enforcement officer and she is still a criminal. It doesn’t seem there is anyway that ever the twain shall meet. Luckily, after a lot of back and forth, good and bad, hit and miss, they do come to a point where they are able to put aside their differences and focus on each other.
The secondary characters too – Jo’s dad, their business colleague, Nate’s partner especially – are all interesting characters as well, and provide a bit more background and depth for these players. Even Jo’s online baking gal pals seem like real people with very distinctive personalities, whom I’d definitely like to learn more about.
The biggest drawback to the story for me was less on the romance side and more in the whole mystery and suspense arena. While the planning and execution of the heist seemed flawless, the back story for all of the deeper goings on here seemed very thin and not especially believable. The extreme measures of the near ending also didn’t strike me as awfully authentic either. Still, it was a good book, lots of fun banter and interaction, as well as some thought-provoking mystery elements.
(Oh, and I did feel that the name Jo gave her treat invention — coopies — was totally ridiculous. Just made me think of cowpies!)
I understand this is the first in a new series, and I am anxious to read the next installment and see where things go, presumably with some or all of these same characters.
Hot Pursuit is a well constructed comedy, romance, and suspense novel. The characters are entertaining and the plot moves at a good pace. The chemistry between Robert and Jolene is electric with the uptight agent pursuing the sassy con. But there’s more beneath his ego and her mask and it will take some honesty on their parts to bring them together. Will they be able to work together or will she trick him and give him the slip once again?
I received an ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
4 Cranky Stars
I was worried at first about how a proper federal agent would mesh with a messy daughter of an art thief who had dreams of opening a bakery would play out. Once the story got rolling it was a crazy ride and the story flowed nicely.
Jolene Carter wasn’t as innocent as she may seem. She helped her father out with intel on his heist, but she had bigger dreams of opening a bakery. It was just that though a farfetched dream because she knew living on the run like they did it wouldn’t be a reality. Her life was contained to living on an island with her father and Thad who was her best friend. Her and Thad set out for one more job but she has a feeling something is very off about this. It’s when she encounters Agent Parker that she thinks maybe this isn’t the life she wants anymore.
Nate Parker was a man with a vendetta. He worked his way into the organized crime unit for only one reason and that was his father . When he is given the task to trail the Carters he assumed everyone involved was guilty. Nate only saw things in black and white and when he lays eyes on Jo she makes him see color. It’s frowned upon for an agent and a daughter of an art thief to get together. What started out as trying to work her for information becomes this need to keep her safe.
This book took the natural progression of things. Jo and Nate didn’t just hop into bed and use each other. I wasn’t fond of Thad. He seemed way too shady but that’s because we didn’t really get to know him too much in this book. Jos obsession with the coopie was kind of funny and I was almost certain she was going to get revenge on the guy who stole the cronut idea. If you like a good heist and a button upped federal agent (think The Thomas Crown Affair) then this is your book.