For anyone who’s ever needed a second chance, to find love, to find the right path in life… dragging up the rear of his boyhood years. He strives to protect and provide for his family, but turning to booze when scared or worried creates as many problems as solutions. Unsure of who he can trust, fiery redhead Pearl Riverside challenges and excites him at every turn, softening his heart toward the idea that goodness exists in the world.
Tension builds between Tommy and his mother as her affection for a generous man increases. At the same time, distance grows between Tommy and his twin sister, Katherine, as each chooses their secrets over family. Violet Pendergrass demands more from Tommy and he begins to question her motives.
When disaster strikes for Tommy’s little sister, Yale, the actions of a sinister judge, a crooked minister, and the infamous charlatan, Dreama, are revealed. Facing more jailtime as vigilante mobs form, the clock runs down on Tommy’s chance to take responsibility for his own choices. Is it too late for him to save his family, to open his heart and fully love those who need him as much as he needs them?
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I found The Heart’s Thief to be a really interesting story. I don’t usually get into books told from the 1800s. I’m into the here and now or even the occasional futuristic stories. I guess ones from the past seem like history lessons. I was never into history! Real quickly let me note that I have not read the other books in this series. The Thief’s Heart is book four in the Letter series. I felt it could be read as a standalone perfectly fine.
Earlier I mentioned above that I didn’t read historical books normally. However, this doesn’t read or feel like a historical novel. I didn’t feel like I’m not being taught a history lesson nor did I fall asleep while reading! That’s seriously a hit for me with anything historical. Shoop seems to build that era up so I felt as if I was transported to that time and place. Sometimes you find an author that writes in various genres and it just works… Kathleen Shoop is that author for me. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes that we get another book in the Bridal Shop series… I adored that first book so much!!
Anyways, sorry, I know… I ramble! I found Tommy to be completely endearing. He’s not a boy but not yet a man. He’s trying and as the man of the house, he’s struggling. You can feel that they’ve lost so much… their money and family. They’re trying to rebuild. I really enjoyed how the story follows the Arthur family throughout times and it comes with the good and the bad. Each family member struggles in separate ways and we get snippets of all of them.
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. I felt every emotion. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!
#TheThiefsHeart #NetGalley
This is the 4th book in Kathleen Shoop’s “Letter Series” and I really enjoyed this historical fiction romance read about the Arthur family. Set in 1892 Des Moines The story is centered on Tommy Arthur who will steal your heart as his struggles and hardships will have you rooting for him and his family. The time era chosen for the setting of this story was absolutely perfect. The writing was intriguing, captured my attention and had me so interested to see what is next to come. This is my fist book with Kathleen Shoop and I am definitely now a fan of her writing. Shoop’s writing pulled me into the time, the beautiful prose, and the descriptive way she wrote, had me immersed into this story line. I enjoyed every one of the characters introduced in this book and getting to know each one good and the bad, which added to the plot of this amazing and interesting story. This was a highly enjoyable read that I recommend.
Kathleen Shoop has introduced me to a genre I never thought I would enjoy, I have only read the previous book in this series The Kitchen Mistress and just like that one Shoop has transported me back in time to this era and and once again I got so caught up with the story I forgot I was reading a book set in the late 18/1900’s!
The Thief’s Heart is more focused on Tommy and his story, though we still have the rest of the Arthur family as well. Tommy is fifteen and that cusp between childhood and becoming a man, he still feels guilty over his parents divorce and feels he needs to step up and become the man of the house so to speak. In trying to support his family he ends up getting involved with some shady characters that puts him as risk of losing everything. Then the family takes another blow with his young sister Yale is taken away to an asylum – my heart just broke for them all, you could see the sinister actions behind her being taken away yet were powerless to do anything about it.
This story is filled with heartfelt moments and also heartbreak that you cant help but be swept into the story of this family from the get go.
Tommy’s family has had the worst time possible just trying to stay together and survive. No matter how hard he tries doing the right thing, Tommy somehow ends up doing wrong. Not only does his family depend on him, his friend Pearl needs him just as much. But Tommy finally realizes that he needs Pearl too. His past of running with the wrong crowd and being on the wrong side of the law soon catches up with him threatening to break up Tommy’s family, giving him no way out but to tell the truth and face the consequences of his actions.
I felt every heartache, every letdown, every disappointment that this family felt. I wanted so badly to help them. This is the fourth book of this series and each one had me so emotional throughout each story. Ms. Shoop can transport you directly into her stories and make you never want to leave.
Shoop books are all standalone books but I have read about the Arthur family in previous titles and love them all! They have been through a lot and always look out for each other. They all just just want what is best, you can’t help but root for this family. The Thief’s Heart is mostly about the son Tommy and how he feels he needs to be the man of the house after his father left. He is a good soul, but sometimes makes the wrong choices and still yearns for his father. There is never a dull moment with lots of characters to love (and not love) and a storyline that easily pulls you in. Another great Arthur family story! I received this book as part of a book tour — all opinions are my own.
Tommy Arthur had never gotten over either his father leaving or his horrendous days in foster care. But now that his family (minus his father and his dead brother) are back together in Des Moines and have found a place to live Tommy is determined to support them all. Unfortunately he gets in with the wrong people and seems to get in trouble a lot!
He meets a girl named Pearl-an orphan and they hit it off first as friends and ultimately as more then friends. She moves into his shack with him with her dog and a kitten she found. Tommy had a talking Raven–who really was a mini thief in his own right!
His baby sister Yale is taken to an asylum and Tommy ends up in jail once again. He manages to escape and Pearl and he take off leaving his Mom behind. Will they all reunite at some point? Hopefully in the next book of this saga!
Kathleen Shoop is definitely one of my favorite authors–her word imagery is spot on and make you feel what the characters in her novels feel!
‘The Thief’s Heart’ is the fourth book in the ‘Letter Series’ by Kathleen Shoop, and I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review.
As a previous fan of Shoop’s work, I was eager to get stuck into this book, and it did not disappoint.
The book is set in 1892, and focuses on the life and hardships of teenager Tommy Arthur and his family. He is still boy-like but embarking on adulthood, and is battling the need to look after his mother and two sisters, and a notion of rebuilding his family to their former glory.
After being cruelly robbed of an inheritance, the Arthur’s are left boarding for a generous Mrs Violet Pendergrass, but is the generous woman really all she appears to be?
With a generous Mr. Hayes captivating his mother, and his twin sister Katherine working and earning her own keep, Tommy struggles to hold onto his position of being the provider of the family. He loses himself to drinking and enables those around him who invite trouble to draw him in.
But there is one saving grace, Pearl Riverside, the girl that Tommy can’t help but be charmed by. He loves her freeness and how he catches her reading other peoples post, and how she has the ability to remind him of true goodness.
With a shoddy reverend and crime, will Tommy manage to remain a free man and out of trouble? Or will he cave to temptation.
Shoop’s depiction of this historical time is amazing, and I was captivated by the plot within the first few pages. There is something innocently naive about Tommy which endears you to him. You feel sorry for his family’s bad fortune, and worry for his welfare around his no good ‘friends’.
You learn of his family’s divide, and how in this time Tommy was bullied and abused, and you revel in his pride at having a job he can be proud of in a hotel, to feeling saddened when it comes to a bitter end from trauma. He has a caring nature, and you want badly for things to work out for him.
It was a well-written story which felt authentic and true to the era. The struggle of the characters felt real, and I absolutely adored Tommy and his journey. There was lots of drama and mystery around characters such as the reverend and Mrs Pendergrass, and it only adds to the entertainment of the story.
I would recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers, and those who are looking for a unique series to become immersed in.