From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an unexpected love story of family, secrets, and the most intimate of deceptions.My estranged twin brother, Julian, was always the wonder boy—and was groomed to become CEO of our ruthless father’s corporation. My mother and me? Left behind. Now, years after tearing our family apart, my father dares to ask me for a favor? Pretend to be Julian … favor? Pretend to be Julian while he fights to survive a tragic accident. It can save the company. Nobody will be the wiser. It’ll be our secret.
I can play Dad’s favorite. I’ll do it for Julian. And for my mother, who’ll want for nothing.
But this double life comes with a beauty of a hitch: my very real feelings for Julian’s fiancée, Isobel. Not only am I betraying Julian, I’m deceiving a woman I love. She doesn’t suspect a thing. As lies compound, lines are crossed and loyalties tested, all I can ask myself is…What have I done?
Because sooner or later something’s got to give. There’s no way I’m giving up Isobel. But once the truth is exposed, it might not be my choice at all.
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Stealing Her by Rachel Van Dyken a four-star read you will want to steal. This is number one in the Covet series and I am excited to see what happens next as it shows great promise to be a great series as it has good bones, just missed a little something. Bridge and Julian are so unlike each other, true opposites, I enjoyed reading Bridge for the most part, but I didn’t enjoy Julian as much for most of the story. This is a beautiful bit not always easy story; the emotional story is rich and compelling but the POV of multiple people was well done and will keep you reading. I was so close to giving this five-stars, but it just missed a little something.
Holy moly, what a book! Such a twisty story, you won’t know which way is up, but I was totally and completely hooked right from the start! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series!
4.5 STARS
The first time I read a book by Rachel Van Dyken, I was absolutely smitten with her words. Now, six years later, I still feel that same way when reading one of her books.
Stealing Her is an all consuming story that sucked me in from the very first page.
Isobel has lived a hard life. Losing both of her parents left her stranded and Julian Tennyson became the man to pick up her pieces and mend her broken heart. Dating through high school and all of college, these two fell in love and watched their relationship blossom. But being in the family business was always Julian’s end game so when he graduated college and stepped up into the corporate world, the dynamics of their relationship began to change. Isobel finds herself in a place she doesn’t recognize. Living a life she doesn’t want anymore and longing for the man she once had. Ready to put her foot down and finally cut all ties, she tells Julian she’s leaving him and can’t regret her decision.
One phone call changes everything and now Isobel is questioning her choice. With her boyfriend in the hospital she feels an overwhelming sense of guilt. When Julian comes home from the hospital all battered up and bruised, she’s ready to stand her ground but the man standing before her is suddenly the old Julian she remembers.
Bridge Anderson has taken care of his mother since the day they walked away from his father and brother and he vowed he’d never be like them for as long as he lived. Working three jobs to pay the bills and take care of the one woman who has always had his back, he’d do anything to help his mother get better even if that means making a deal with the devil himself. When Bridge is propositioned by his father to stand in as his twin brother to help close a deal at the Tennyson company, Bridge can’t say no. He not only needs the money to care for his sick mother, he knows how much this job means to Julian and he wants to make sure he succeeds. But Bridge had no clue what he was in store for. Now he’s suddenly stepping into the role of the boyfriend to Isobel and the CEO of Tennyson Financial, the one place he never thought he’d be.
Trying to convince Isobel that he’s Julian is more than Bridge bargained for. But the more time he spends with the angelic beauty, the more he wants to give her everything she deserves. What did his brother do to make this woman hate him so much? Why does she harbor such strong feelings of unease around him. Bridge makes a promise to himself that he will do everything in his power to give Isobel the life she deserves even if it’s only for the next twelve months.
As Isobel and Julian (Bridge) embark on a new start to their relationship, Isobel is finally seeing the man who is standing in front of her. He seems like the old Julian from college. He acts like the Julian she once fell in love with. But something seems different about him that she just can’t figure out. His muscles are bigger, his eyes run deeper and the pounding in her heart is stronger than she’s ever felt.
This story was so addictive!!! I love a good twin-switch and this surely was all that and more!!
I devoured this book in one sitting. I literally couldn’t take a break. Rachel Van Dyken pulls out all the stops. Emotional, charming, and thought-provoking, this story had my spine-tingling with excitement every time I turned the page.
Be prepared to swoon. Bridge and Isobel will give you all the feels. Definitely recommend.
This book was reviewed for Reviews from the Heart.
~ Shannon
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Oh how to start this review…I am having a serious book hangover!
Ms. Van Dyken, brings so much in this story. Angst, heat, heart and a story that is going to keep you glued to the pages until the very end, and them make you beg for more!
This is the story of Julian, Bridge and Isobel. A love triangle for the ages. The main characters lives are a twisted vine of lies and deceit. But there is also the flowering of hope, forgiveness and love.
The dynamic between Bridge and Julian was poignant. A bond that time and distance made fragile, but when needed it was stronger than ever.
The love between each character is beautiful and flawed. The multiple POV’s brings so much to the story, it brings a richness to the characters and depth to the story.
I empathized with each main character and Ms. Van Dyken has the writing talent to bring you into the world that she created. I can honestly say that I fell in both love and hate with every main character and that my friends, is a talent few writers can inspire in me!
Do yourself a favor and read this story!! I am going to be waiting not so patiently for the next book in this series, I promise after you read Stealing Her, you will too!
Bridge Tennyson’s life revolves around his mom and her illness. Knowing that he needs to do something about the medical bills that are piling up, and find her better treatment, the pressure is mounting. That solution knocks on his door one evening in the form of his estranged father, Edward. Julian, Bridge’s twin brother, has been in an accident, and now he’s in a coma. Edward needs Bridge to pretend to be Julian, close a business deal, and keep Tennyson Financial running smoothly. The only catch is that no one, not even Julian’s fiancé, Isobel, can know the truth about the brothers. Trying to play the part but keep his distance, Bridge soon finds himself falling for Izzy and betraying his brother.
This book, I loved it. I’m an RVD fan to begin with, I love her writing style and versatility as an author. Stealing Her falls somewhere in between Dangerous Ex’s, with some humor and fantastic banter, and the Eagle Elite series, there’s a scene in there that’s got a touch of mafia to it. I felt for all 3 main characters, each having their own struggles despite appearances, Julian had money but no real love or parental support, poor Bridge was drowning to try to help his mom, and Isobel was lonely, all 3 looking for love and approval in some way. Two chapters in and I could not put it down. I may have slightly neglected adulting to finish it in a day. I really think this story has it all , tragic back stories, humor, heart, a slight love triangle, great banter, good characters, and all the feels. I sincerely hope there will be a second, especially after that heartbreaking, cliffhanger-y ending. I want to see Julian get his HEA. Highly recommend.
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review
I am a big fan of Rachel Van Dyken. While I did enjoy this book, I missed the humor I usually find in her stories. Izzy and Bridge were great and I could feel Bridge’s distress and dread at what he got forced into (the father was a monster). I just felt like Izzy shouldn’t have been fooled so easily. I did feel a bit bad for Julian, but you reap what you sow. I can’t wait to see how he is redeemed in the next book.